The Theories Series
by Diane Clifford
Summary: My series of writings re: my theories on the Jellicles history, siblings, families, etc. COMPLETE! *Please read and review!*
1. Rumpled!

**One**

Alonzo looked at the calendar, frowning. The next Jellicle Ball was a few days away. The preparations were already taking place. Munkustrap had asked him to collect the kittens and entertain them tonight while the rest of the Jellicles gathered to put the lights up. Static electricity was all very well, but a electric shock could be fatal.

Alonzo groomed some mud from his paw and slipped into the kitchen and out via the catflap.

* * *

Bombalurina stepped up on an old car and draped the electric lights over the old drainage pipe. Below her Munkustrap held the rest of the lights to contain the weight. Bomba knelt down and slid gracefully off the car onto a old mattress. She was glad this was the last of the preparations, as she was all too eager for the night of the Jellicle Ball, where she planned to impress the toms with the new dance routine that she had been working on with Demeter and Jellylorum.

Jennyanydots was due to be sent to the Heaviside Layer this year, after Grizabella's sudden appearance and ascent the year previous. So Jenny was with Electra and Jemima right now, working out a brand new tap dance routine.

Bomba wondered what Demeter was up to now...she hadn't seen her all evening...

* * *

Bomba needn't have worried. Demeter was curled up with Skimbleshanks and Jellylorum, dozing fitfully. Her ears were on alert though, and at the sharp sound of other paws approaching, she sat up and stretched. Something furry brushed her rear, and Demeter's head snapped round to see the Rum Tum Tugger nuzzling her in a all-too-friendly 'hello' gesture.

Demeter was always a little scared at the prospect of Tugger. He was always overbearing, something she disliked instensely, and besides, Bombalurina was keen on Tugger. This meant it was dangerous for her to get involved. Still, there was no harm in teasing him...

Demeter stretched again, yawned softly, and began gently washing. Tugger folded his paws and sat watching, ruffling his mane. Demeter could feel Tugger eyes on her as she licked her paw. It was sore from a nasty fall she had taken recently, and she winced, holding it out slightly.

"You okay Dem?" The gruff voice came.

"Yeah."

"You don't seem it."

"Nah, it's okay. My paw's just bruised."

"Story of my life," Tugger muttered.

"What?" Demeter looked round at him.

"No one wants to know about me. Jellylorum," Tugger lowered his voice, since the queen was asleep nearby, "shunned me today. So did Cassi."

"I'm not surprised. Cassi's your step sister and Jelly's nearly got Skimble." Demeter threw back.

"Am I losing my touch then Dem?" Demeter's eyes flicked up and saw Tugger staring at her with huge brown eyes. And she KNEW that look...

"Um...er...I...no...but..." stuttered Demeter, dropping her gaze. Again in a awkward position between Tugger and Bombalurina.

"So why are you avoiding my gaze Dem. Why are you avoiding me?"

"I can't do this!" Demeter thought. Tugger's question hung in the air as she turned and fled.

Tugger smiled softly to himself as Demeter ran off. He loved winding her up with false affections. He didn't really want her. He wanted another queen cat. But he didn't know which one. So he had decided to see which queen cat danced the best at the Jellicle Ball in two days' time. The Tugger was ready at last, to choose a mate...who was the lucky queen to be?

**TWO DAYS LATER**

Old Deuteronomy sat on the tyre, watching the four queen kittens, Vicki, the white one, Etcetera, the white and striped one, and Electra and Jemima, both red and black tabbies, playing with Pouncival and Alonzo. They were the last of the offspring this year. He was expecting to pass to the Heaviside Layer anytime soon, and hoped Munkustrap, one of his eldest, to see to it that all of the cats found a mate.

Soon the beautiful pink-red-gold sunset was clear. Jellylorum and Jennyanydots appeared through an old pipe. Coricopat and Tantomile came out from the nearby shubbery, whilst Bombalurina and Demeter climbed over the wall. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer appeared mysteriously from the shadows. A flash of light and a cloud of smoke and Mistoffelees appeared, startling everyone...and making them cough!

The kittens mewed frantically as Tugger sauntered through the crowd of Jellicles, but he just flicked his tail and swaggered off. (Etcetera, of course, fainted...)

Cassandra arrived, slinking up through the debris. Skimbleshanks was late as usual, gasping for breath.

Munkustrap was sitting up next to Old Deuteronomy, counting the assembled Jellicles. Now most of them were here, he slid down, narrowly missing Tumblebrutus, who appeared from nowhere to join the rest.

Munkustrap called the cats to alert them, and as midnight approached, the cats prepared for the big dance.

Jennyanydots, Electra and Jemima were up in the almost-midnight-moonlight first, and everyone gasped at the young kittens' new talent and saw how much Jenny had improved with her dancing.

From a distance Bomba watched Jemima and Electra tapping and elegantly spinning with Jenny. She was impressed, and knew that the eyes watching Jenny would soon be on her. Jenny and the kittens finished their dance, and weakly Jenny (now a year older than last year's Ball) stumbled over to Munkustrap, who bowed his head to her.

The moon above signalled midnight and the Jellicle Ball began in earnest, all the cats being aware of various smaller dances within the proceedings. The cats danced as a whole until two hours before dawn. Then Bombalurina, Demeter, and Jellylorum got ready to dance their solo. This year all three intended to mate, especially Jelly, who would be lonely since Jenny was to depart from her side.

On hearing her cue, Bombularina leapt out in full view of everyone, Demeter and Jelly trying their best to follow her lead. Bomba really knew how to flaunt and work a audience, and as she flounced and teased her way through the tricky routine, she grew more and more confident. On leaving the stage, many of the toms sidled around her, Pouncival nuzzling her. She'd mated with him last year, and so she nuzzled him back before looking around...but she did not see the tom she desperately wanted to see. Where was Tugger?

* * *

Tugger had not seen all the solo dances yet, and was impatiently waiting for the next group to perform. He wanted to make his choice fair. Eventually, Etcetera, Victoria, Alonzo and Pouncival got into the central part of the junkyard, but the kittens were too young for Tugger to bother with...

In fact Tugger didn't show much interest until Tantomile and Coricopat sidled into the centre. It was rare for them to dance, much less in front of the Jellicle audience. There was a murmured whisper as Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer also ran out into the centre, and started to perform alongside the other two.

The four cats dancing never heard the cries of amazement at the skill in their dance routine. The movements were adept, graceful and each cat silhouetted each other perfectly. Tugger's eye was drawn to one of the queen cats. He'd never seen her so full of life before. He wanted her for his mate...

* * *

Rumpleteazer worked her way quickly through the routine. Her sleek coat shone in the moonlight as she passed Mungojerrie, in unison with Tantomile (who passed Coricopat) and they slipped quietly into the shadows. Well Tantomile did. Teazer found Tugger in front of her, blocking her path, and brushing his warm furry paw softly against her cheek.

Then Mungojerrie was there, before Teazer had fully understood what was going on, and before she could utter a word...

"Wot's going on 'ere, Teazer?" he demanded.

Teazer, too scared between the two toms, cowered.

"Back off Tugger," Mungojerrie warned.

"Why?" spat Tugger. "Teazer doesn't belong to you!"

"Don't belong to you 'iffer. So clear orf!" Mungo returned.

* * *

In the midst of the argument, Teazer snuck off to weep. Her weeping was overheard by Demeter, who was sitting in the pipe underneath Teazer. She didn't move at first, but after a while she called softly.

"Rumpleteazer?"

Teazer looked round. Demeter crawled from the pipe and looked up at the other queen.

"Oh Dem. Hi."

"What's the matter?" Demeter asked, hopping up on the pipe beside Teazer. Teazer didn't say a word.

"Tugger, right? Or just toms in general?"

Teazer looked up. "Both. Kinda. 'Ow did you know?"

Demeter looked away uncomfortably. "Call it a wild hunch," she muttered.

"I can't go with 'im Dem," Teazer whispered. "'Jerrie would kill me. It would kill 'im too."

"Look, let me go and talk to 'Jerrie," Demeter offered, even though she was scared of 'Jerrie. "Maybe he'll change his mind."

Teazer looked at Demeter with sad eyes. "It won't work Dem...you see..."

"Well, at least let me try," Demeter insisted, interrupting the other queen. She wasn't going to let Teazer be forced to be Jerrie's mate only. She just didn't see the tears falling from Teazer's eyes, as she rushed to find Mungojerrie.

* * *

Mungojerrie was sitting watching the other cats dancing and flirting. Mistoffelees had vanished into a corner with Victoria, where they were playing with lightening blots - Misto's new speciality - lightening bolts that form a puddle of ink when they hit a surface!

Jellylorum and Skimble, were, once again, curled up together as well, but this year as lovers instead of friends. The kittens Jemima and Electra were watching Tugger jaunting about with the other toms, and 'Jerrie hissed inwardly. Looking round, almost all the cats were involved with someone or other. Jenny was talking eagerly to Old Deut, and not too far off from them, Etcetera was stalking Alonzo, trying to win his affections...

Still, as Jerrie continued observing, he noticed Munkustrap and Bombalurina sitting together...just talking...

Mungo purred with delight and getting up, sauntered over to them...

* * *

"But when he didn't come near me...oh Munku, what do I DO?" Bomba asked desperately. "Bomb, you know as well as I do that Tugger's never attracted to one queen for long."

"But Munk, I dont care! All I ever dream about is Tugger." Bomba started to cry angry tears. Why didn't anyone understand her?

At that moment 'Jerrie sidled up. Munkustrap was about to tell Bomb exactly how she felt, and reveal his most precious secret, but he saw 'Jerrie in time, and raised himself up to his full height.

"Munkustrap," said 'Jerrie, with a hint of respect in his voice. Then he looked towards to Bombalurina.

"Hi Bombalurina..." he growled seductively, making sure to add the 'H' he often dropped when talking. Bomba's eyes flicked from 'Jerrie, to Munk, and back to 'Jerrie again.

"Okay, what do you want?" Munk asked suspiciously. He didn't trust 'Jerrie when he was like this.

"How about a chat with the loveliest queen cat around?" 'Jerrie asked. Bomba went quiet, staring at the toms.

Sensing Bomba didn't want 'Jerrie there, Munkustrap told Jerrie to 'sling his hook' politely. (Authors Note: Can you IMAGINE Munk saying THAT?)

"Hmmm." 'Jerrie considered using a threat. "What about Demeter?" Bomba looked up at the other queen's name.

"What about her?" Munk looked at Bomba.

"I'm sure you wouldn't like Macavity to get his hands on her, so I think you better step aside."

Munkustrap raised himself up and snarled at 'Jerrie. "Dont you DARE touch her."

"So move then," 'Jerrie vyed.

Defeated by 'Jerrie's threat about Demeter, Munk retreated to Old Deut's side.

Bombalurina watched 'Jerrie as he climbed up the junkyard piles to slip down beside her. 'Jerrie took Bomba's paw almost immediately after sitting down.

"Bombalurina, or...may I call you Bomba, or Bomb?" He asked, almost suavely, grappling with his language in order not to drop any letters. Then he had a spark of idea. "Or even, just Lady?"

Bomba, quite understandably, was completely taken aback by his words. No tom had ever treated her THIS nicely. Maybe she was quite a catch after all, just as she had always thought. She looked to see if anyone else had noticed 'Jerrie's display of affection. And saw Tugger across the yard, his fur raised on the back of his neck, and a ugly, angry expression on his face.

Bomba hadn't realised Demeter had seen too. Demeter took the news back to Teazer now, who, strangely, was absolutely inconsolable on hearing it. So Demeter decided to go and search for Munkustrap, and hid Teazer in the big pipe, left her to sob, and hurried to find the tom.

* * *

Munkustrap was still with Old D. and Jenny, who was gushing about how 'fabulous' it would be to ascend to the Heaviside Layer.

Rather embarrassingly, Munk had now got into a rather bad habit of dropping off to sleep when another cat was talking too much and for too long. In this case, he was in the latter stages of R.E.M...

Munk awoke with a jump when something or someone brushed against his leg. He looked and blushed at Demeter, who stared prettily up at him with round eyes and a smile on her dainty mouth.

"Asleep on the job again Munk?" she giggled, and Munk blushed even deeper. "No seriously Munk," Demeter continued, "I need your advice. Have you got a minute?"

"Sure Demi. Up here." Munk slipped up the junkyard piles, Demeter following him. When they got up as high as Munk thought necessary, he stopped and turned to help the scrambling Demeter. His paw found hers, and a little snap of electricity ran between them. But the moment passed, and a while later they could be seen discussing something. Demeter's ears twitched occasionally, and Munk' tail flopped lazily from side to side.

* * *

"Oh princess, you're beautiful, *kiss*, I'm enraptured, entranced, *kiss*, the most gorgeous queen on four paws, *kiss*..." 'Jerrie insisted, kissing Bomba's paw. Bomba stifled a yawn, trying to keep up her pretence and to keep Tugger jealous. She knew 'Jerrie was faking. He hadn't dropped a letter yet...

She looked around the junkyard, and to her disappointment Tugger was nowhere to be seen. And even more unfortunately, 'Jerrie was taking her ignorance for shyness and was becoming increasingly amorous...!

* * *

"Rumple?" Munk called softly. No answer.

Demeter and himself had been hunting for Rumpleteazer for over half a hour, and Munk's calling had come to nothing.

"Let me try Munk," said Demeter, and she called. "Teazer."

Almost immediately on hearing her name, Teazer came out from the shadows, and sat whimpering on the ground. She'd been so scared left alone, and Demeter hugged her.

"Dem, I gots to tell you...listen.."

"Oh Teazer," Demeter whispered. "It's okay, you're safe with us." She gestured towards Munkustrap, who sat down now with Teazer and Demeter.

"Come on," urged Munkustrap to Demeter. "We have to find Tugger."

"No!" Teazer covered her face with her paws.

"It's okay Teazer. We talked to Mistoffelees," Demeter comforted the queen.

Teazer's head bobbed up to look at Demeter and Munk. "You did?"

"Yeah, turns out Tugger has only ever had a soft spot for Bomba. Tugger confides in him. So we're going to get Tugger together with Bomba, and everything's sorted."

And before Teazer could protest, Munkus and Dem had dragged her off between them.

* * *

Tugger was furious at Mungojerrie for stealing Bomba from him. He liked Teazer, sure, but she couldnt stand up for herself, and he hated that. He hated protecting the weak female.

He sat in the shadows, still watching the two cats across the yard flirting. Bomba kept looking around, and that was annoying him, like she wanted him to be jealous. Like heck he was.

Munkustrap materialised next to Tugger. Tugger had not even seen him come up. Munk had to choose his words carefully.

"Tugg, you know Bomb's only doing that to make you jealous."

"So?"

"So. Go get her and she'll leave Jerrie's side."

"Sure." The Tugger was not a great conversation seeker!

"You go and get Bomba, or I'll tell Etcetera what you said about her."

Tugger's head, complete with fur mane, whipped round. "You wouldn't."

Munk grinned. "Try me."

"All right." Tugger stressed, and fluffing his mane, sauntered off.

Munk waited until he was out of range, then bade Dem and Teazer out from the shadows.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tugger was taking deep breaths. "Feline of my dreams, here I come," he muttered to himself. He kept walking until he was right in front of Bomba and Jerrie. "Hand her over Jerrie," he hissed at the other tom.

Jerrie stopped his advances and glared at Tugger. Bomba was now shocked at seeing Tugger. She thought he wasn't interested. "So you want this one now as well?" Jerrie spat at Tugger. "Ain't Teazer good enough for ya?"

Unknown to the two arguing males, Teazer had moved in closer, afraid of what she might hear, but not wanting to back down and flee.

"I don't want Teazer 'Jerrie."

"Sure. You mean you don't want just Teazer. Just like she doesn't just want you and me. She wants others. And she got 'em."

Teazer shrank back into the corner. Her secret was out.

"Don't be pathetic." Munkustrap came up behind Tugger to speak. "Any cat here knows you and Teazer are mates constantly Jerrie."

"Yeah? He didn't seem to think so."

"He?" Munkustrap turned to look at Teazer, who sobbed out a name.

* * *

Etcetera approached the black and white cat cautiously, her fur bristling in the breeze. The male cat took no notice, staring evenly out across the yard at the scene unfolding. Etcetera had not noticed anything today apart from her potential mate, who was by far the best male in her eyes.

She swatted his tail and it flicked casually from side to side, as the male started to feel her attentions. Then he moved suddenly to turn round, and started playing back to Etcetera, nuzzling her playfully and making her squeal.

Excited, Etcetera continued her affections, little knowing the trouble she could cause by this display.

* * *

"No," whispered Demeter and Bomba, staring at a now quite miserable Teazer. Even Munk and Tugger, who were quite used to surprises, looked shocked.

"Listen, it didnt 'ean anyfink," Teazer dropped several letters trying to rectify the situation, but 'Jerrie only got madder.

"You had a kitten Teazer, and you say it doesnt matter?" he hissed, venom oozing from his words. "What kind of mother are you?"

Teazer's temper rose and broke. "Better than the father, blood or otherwise!" She postively screamed at him.

'Jerrie looked hurt. Then suddenly, he rose to his feet, and walked away, not looking back.

"Jerrie! NO! I didn't mean it...Jerrie! PLEASE!" Teazer fell over herself trying to make him turn back, but to no avail. He simply disappeared into the night shadows.

Teazer turned back. "I tried to tell you Dem," she whispered to the other queen. "But you wouldn't hear me." Then, she too, slunk away.

Munk now looked at Demeter too. She looked back. Munk blushed at her again. She smiled. He was kinda cute when he did that.

"So much for my plan," Munk' voice wafted to her pricked up ears.

"Yeah...so much...hey? What...where?" Demeter looked around. Bomba and Tugger had vanished. But in the half light she saw...no! Demeter immediately raised her hackles and snarled, hissing furiously.

Munkustrap looked in the same direction, and fled to remove the queen from her target.

* * *

"Alonzo!" squealed Etcetera in even more excitement. "Stop tickling!"

"No!" cried Alonzo, and continued to flirt with the young queen. The two cats never saw Munkustrap approaching, raising his paw...to hit Alonzo.

The two cats fell apart, Alonzo steadying himself on all four paws until Munkustrap leapt at him. The two cats fought, trying to claim power over the other. Etcetera ran off, and hid behind Jellylorum.

Eventually Munkustrap overpowered Alonzo. "Why Alonzo?" growled Munk as he pinned Alonzo, trapping him. "Why don't you ADMIT what you did?"

Etcetera, confused and frightened, started to weep softly, and Demeter crept over to comfort her. From the crowd Teazer slipped out to beg Munkustrap to release Alonzo. Munk backed down a bit but kept himself tall over Alonzo's shuddering frame.

"What did I do?" The cats heard him whimper.

Jerrie butted in at that point. "You don't remember the kitten huh, Alonzo?"

"What kitten?" Alonzo stared at the others, as he pulled himself up.

"What kitten?" THAT KITTEN!" yelled Jerrie. His paw shot out to point at the kitten across the yard...

Etcetera shrieked as Jerrie's paw pointed towards her. Alonzo's normally white face turned an even deeper shade of pale, and Teazer fled the scene. Demeter scurried after her, leaving Etcetera in the shadow of Jellylorum.

_Jerrie looks pleased with himself_, Bomba thought, giving him an angry, dirty stare. She didnt know it but inside Jerrie's heart was sinking fast, and when she turned and walked away he felt awful.

* * *

Half an hour later Demeter brought a still miserable, but somewhat gentler Teazer to the surface. Etcy saw her and padded over.

"I never knew Mummy or Daddy," she whispered softly. "Jelly told me I was abandoned and found by Tugger. That's why I always adored him. For bringing me to safety."

Teazer's brown eyes raised to meet her daughter's.

"So Alonzo's Daddy," whispered Etc. "Hi Mummy." Teazer gave a huge sob and hugged Etc. Demeter slipped off as the newfound relationship started to work out.

"I need to tell you Etcetera," Teazer sat down, and Etcetera cuddled up to her side. "Alonzo took care of me when 'Jerrie was working for Macavity."

Etcetera's eyes widened. "Jerrie worked for Macavity?"

"Yes. Not for long. Anyway, one day - or should I say night - he did a job wrong, and Macavity nearly killed him. While he was recovering, Alonzo was by my side 24/7." Teazer swallowed, drew breath, and continued. "And then suddenly I was having these feelings for Alonzo, and I guess he got feelings for me too...and then...and then I was a kitten with a kitten inside me, and I was so small then I could only carry one - you - and luckily 'Jerrie didn't realise, and neither did Alonzo. But I knew."

"So what did you do?" Etcetera's eyes were huge in her tiny face as she listened to Teazer.

"Well...I knew I couldn't keep you. But I went into birth whilst talking to Tugger. He saw me, and, to cut a long story short, I had to tell them what happened. Only Jellylorum and Tugger knew about you then. Jelly took you from me, and the secret was safe between the three of us." Etcetera's paw found Teazer's as Teazer began to cry, her memories flooding back.

"She convinced everyone that Tugger had found you in the rubbish dump not too far away from here, and you were from that moment passed off as Vicki's sister. So everyone celebrated Jellylorum's new kitten...and I faded into the background. I daresay she even thought of you of her own."

"But it KILLED me not telling 'Jerrie. So I did, about three months later, and he was furious. He took Macavity's lessons well. He laid into me."

"MOMMY!" Etcetera screamed. "DON'T!" She covered her ears with her paws, and shuddered.

"Oh Heavisides, Etcetera, I'm sorry!" Teazer held her. " I wasn't thinking."

Etcetera snuffled weakly in her mother's arms. Then she sat up to talk.

"You're my mommy, Alonzo's Daddy, and you sheltered me here in the junkyard Mommy. At least you didn't abandon me. I can't repay that. So don't worry about anything Mommy...everything's fine...and stop being sorry."

* * *

Demeter watched the two queen cats, mother and daughter hugging each other from afar. She wished some tom would love her the way Rumple and Etcetera loved each other. She sighed.

Jerrie sat in the corner of the junkyard, his tail swishing angrily. His eyes narrowed. He wanted something. He didn't know what though. Maybe Alonzo's head on a stick...

"Yo, Mungo." Something or someone called him from behind.

Jerrie immediately stiffened. Only ONE cat EVER called him by that name...


	2. Catnapped

**Two**

Demeter's ears twitched. She sensed...something. Someone padded up beside her quietly, making her hiss and jump back, putting herself on guard.

But it was only Munkustrap, and Demeter's guard went down.

"Seen Tugger?" he asked, in that husky voice she loved. Of course she had never told him...

"No. Seen Bomba?" She was worried, ever since her sister had disappeared she had feared for her.

But now as she sat, her head cocked to the side, she suddenly imagined where Tugger and Bomba were...together!

* * *

In fact, Demeter couldn't have been more wrong. Bomba and Tugger were not together. Bomba was sitting in her nest, the one she shared with Demeter. She was tired, her eyes were drooping, but she just could NOT sleep.

Her mind raced tonight, with thoughts of Mungojerrie, and Rumpleteazer, and poor Demeter, and Etcetera...and Munkustrap...and Tugger... She sighed and curled up, willing herself to sleep.

* * *

Tugger was in the other corner of the junkyard. He counted the cats of the junkyard, much as humans do sheep...it was a efficient relief to sleep at last, he thought, from the pressure of todays Ball...

It was the crash that woke Tugger; that made Etcetera and Rumpleteazer break from their thoughts in their hug; that stopped Munkustrap and Demeter's thoughts of the other.

And meanwhile, Mungojerrie felt awful.

* * *

Bomba opened her eyes. She remembered sleep overcoming her at last. It was early morning, judging by the light spilling in from the roof of the makeshift nest. Bomba would have normally been up at this time, but she was so tired she only wanted to sleep.

She looked around, yawned, and curled back up.

* * *

Demeter padded in the direction of the noise. Her keen senses told her something was wrong. Munk followed behind her...his eyes drawn to the scene ahead of him. Demeter gasped, and began to run, her paws pattering on the ground. The other cats [Rumple, Etc, and Tugger] who had heard the noise, came up to the scene too. They all looked at one another in shock and horror.

Bombalurina and Demeter's nest had been destroyed.

Demeter started to pace backwards away from the scene. Her mouth opened to show her teeth as she positively snarled at the foul stench. She knew Macavity when she smelled him...

* * *

Bomba woke again. She sniffed. There was a funny smell. She wasnt sure if that was what had woken her. Maybe it was because she had been dreaming of Tugger. Her dreams always seemed to end right at the crucial point when she dreamed of him...

She stretched. "What a nice fluffy blanket," she thought. "It must be something Demeter found in the yard earlier...typical of her not to say anything..." She scratched the blanket, fluffing it, and it yowled.

"Sorry," Bombalurina said to the blanket, and laid down. Then her ears pricked. _One second. Blankets don't yowl..._

She jumped off the 'blanket' and a familiar figure rose. Bomba clapped her hands over her mouth, and screamed.

"You got me tail," said the common rasping voice she knew too well. "Revenge was sweet was it?"

"Macavity, you know I didn't..."

"Shut up!" The ginger tom hissed at her.

Bomba cowered.

* * *

Demeter was still smelling the air around the nest. The other Jellicles, discussing what to do, didn't see her wandering off. Well, all except Tugger. He watched Dem disappear, and then set off steathily after her.

Demeter started to wander, like something was dragging her. Maybe it was the smell. It was strong enough to lift a human up and carry it with no problem! Still, she followed her nose, but after a while her keen senses were torn between turning round and going back the way she had come, and carrying on to help her sister. But when she looked back, she hardly remembered where she came from. So Demeter, a little scared, was forced to carry on trotting forward.

* * *

Tugger peeked out from behind the bush nearby. He'd scrambled behind it none too easily when Demeter had been looking round behind her just now. His collar caught on the thorns on the bush and he realised, when he stepped out again into the light, that it had been a rose bush, now somewhat ruined, and that he had thorns and petals all over him.

Correction. Thorns and PINK petals.

Tugger hastily brushed himself down, and looked round to make sure no one had seen him. Not even Demeter.

Tugger realised with a start, that he was lost.

* * *

"Damn you, Bomba! How dare you even try to play the pitiful queen act with me! ME! The power of evil!" Macavity stormed.

"Mac, calm down, please, I told you..." Bomba tried to pacify the huge red tom, but it was no good. He simply interrupted her.

"How many times must we go THROUGH this? My name, Bomba, darling! IS MACAVITY!" Macavity, completely angered, raged at her.

"Macavity...listen..."

"NO. YOU LISTEN! I'M FED UP WITH YOU, FLIRTING WITH ALL THE OTHER TOMS, NEVER PAYING ATTENTION TO ME! ITS MY TURN BOMBALURINA!" Macavity leapt towards the frightened queen and grabbed her arms.

"MAC! You're hurting...me!" Bomba choked out as he squeezed her arms in his strong paws.

Something hurled itself towards the entrance to the lair where Bomba and Macavity were. Two figures followed in it's wake. Then, after a while, another figure passed in the shadows, and disappeared inside too.

Only one figure belonged to the shadows. And it stayed there in the dark, watching, wondering what to do.

"What the...?" Macavity was taken aback when the something hurled itself at him. The force was so intense Bombalurina flew to the side of the lair, and the creature was able to pin Macavity to the floor.

Then in the half light that was streaming in the lair's entrance, they both saw who it was.

* * *

"Munkustrap, I'm scared!" Etcetera whined behind him. She wondered where 'Mommy' Rumpleteazer was. She'd disappeared.

"It's okay Etcy," Munkustrap soothed. We'll just go inside, and rescue Bomba...and..." he peered into the lair, "...and..." He stopped, staring at the scene inside the lair.

Etcetera noticed him stop, and curiousity got the better of her. She peeped inside, and as she did so, Tugger came up behind them, and made her jump.

"What's happenin'? He asked in a gruff voice.

"Tugger..."Munkustrap pointed inside the lair.

Tugger's jaw nearly dropped when he saw the queen pinning Macavity to the ground.

* * *

Rumpleteazer was in the bushes outside the lair. She'd known it was Macavity from the moment Demeter wandered off alone. She didnt dare go any nearer than this, she didn't want Macavity to see her.

So she sat there for a full ten minutes, alone, on her haunches, wondering what to do and who to ask...then it hit her with what to do! She hoped she could find who she needed. She turned from the bushes and fled, scurrying back to the Jellicle junkyard.

* * *

Demeter could hardly believe his NERVE! Trying to take advantage of her sister like that. After all, hadn't he promised her, "...trust me Demeter, I'll never hurt you, I'll be loyal..."

And now she'd caught him! And as she pinned him to the ground, she was the powerful one. She wasnt aware of the other cats. Just the unfaithfulness of Macavity.

* * *

Rumpleteazer, meanwhile, had reached the entrance of the junkyard, and was running slowly, trying to spot the cat she needed most tonight. She hoped he would be there, maybe he had moved on to tackle Pollicles in his present mood...

Then suddenly, she spotted him. Breathing a sigh of relief, she hurried over to stop him.

* * *

"Get the hell ouffa me!" Macavity snarled at Demeter, raising himself (with difficulty) up a bit, and managing to fling the young queen off him.,br Munkustrap snarled at him, and left Etcetera on the floor with Tugger for protection. No one treated Demeter that way!

Demeter lay on the floor stunned, and Bomba came over to comfort her with a few licks and a cuddle.

They all watched as Macavity and Munkustrap started fighting, Munkustrap taking the lead, and whacking Macavity across the jaw.

* * *

Rumpleteazer was in the alley alongside the sewing and material shop downtown. She never really came here, but it was where the bins were kept, and she needed some vital stuff for tonight's escapade.

She found some thread, and a needle, tangled in with some elastic in the bin. She didnt see any scissors, but there was an old broken bottle nearby, so she took that to the thread, and freed the needle and thread she needed.

She couldnt find any material she needed, so a little breaking and entering was deemed essential.

Her companion sat in the alleyway entrance, the shadows of the night defining and outlining his dark features. He watched as Rumpleteazer picked up the bottle, and threw it at the shop's window.

A shattering of glass was heard, and Rumpleteazer held her paws to her face to prevent getting any glass in her face. Then she jumped onto the windowsill, and leapt inside. She grabbed the black shiny material she needed, and jumped back out as the police cars started up the road in the distance. Then she and her accomplice dashed off into the night.

* * *

Meanwhile Tugger nuzzled Bomba comfortingly, having left a scared Demeter holding an equally scared Etcetera.

"Bomba, you okay sweetie?" He asked the red queen affectionately.

"Tugger..." Bomba felt relief flood her body, and she snuggled into him for protection. She nuzzled him back, ending with a friendly lick on the nose.

"Hey, watch it." Tugger teased. "Got my rep to mantain!" But he licked her back. Bomba's insides melted like butter...

Tugger was about to contemplate picking Bomba up and making off into the night, when an earth shattering yowl pierced the night. Something flung itself through the lair's entrance, and aimed itself at Macavity. Munkustrap fell back and caught himself steadily, as the black creature jumped on Macavity and pinned him to the ground.

The initial response from the cats was to look round to see where Demeter was, just in case it was her again. But of course, she was still on the floor with Etcetera...

Munkustrap waited until the newcomer got the situation under control, and then he and Tugger helped him tie Macavity up.

Rumpleteazer slipped in without a word. She sat next to Etcetera, who most unfortunately saw her and gasped too loudly, "MOMMY!"

Macavity's ears pricked up, and he looked across to see Teazer holding Etcetera in her arms. "RUMPLETEAZER?" He bellowed, and got a box on the ears from Tugger for his trouble.

"Leave her alone Macavity." Munkustrap ordered.

"Yeah!" Etcetera piped up. "She's my mommy, so ya just 'eave 'er alone!"

It was funny to hear Etcetera speak the words in such a accent, but obviously Macavity found it absolutely hysterical.

He roared with laughter, and the toms around him, not to mention the queens, stared in astonishment at him.

"What, you dont think it funny that we have two mommies here?" He mocked Etcetera.

"Two mommies?" Etcetera got curious.

"What? Dont tell me you didn't know." Macavity looked pointedly across the yard to the queens...

Bomba gulped. "Oh no...he's going to tell them..."

"So Bomba, sweetie. Something you never mentioned." Macavity shook his head disapprovingly.

"Like?" Bomba asked, her voice shaking.

"Oh I think you know Bomba. Tell them what happened between you and me..."

"I...I..." Bomba stuttered.

Demeter looked up. "You went with HIM Bomba?"

"Yeah...I mean, no...it was a long time ago..." Bomba threw up her hands.

"What?" Demeter was visibly enraged.

"Don't get mad at me Dem..."

"Not get mad?" Demeter snapped.

Macavity was grinning. "You mean you two keep secrets from each other?" He looked at Bomba. "Surely you knew about me and Demeter my dear?"

"Dont you 'my dear' me!" Bomba hissed. Then it struck her. "You...and...Dem?" She whispered.

Macavity laughed. "Sure...!"

"BUT MAC!"

"What Bomba, sweetie...surely you have nothing against it..."

"But Mac, she's...she's..."

"Young? Intelligent? Beautiful? I know..." Macavity winked at Demeter.

"SHE'S YOUR DAUGHTER!" Bomba burst out, pointing at Demeter . "THE ONE NIGHT WE WERE TOGETHER, WE MADE HER!"

"?" Macavity positively yowled, as if he was being attacked by several thousand Pollicle dogs...

* * *

Demeter fled the lair. The minute the words were spoken by Bomba, she knew she didn't want to know any more.

"Bomba's your mother," the voices chanted inside her head. "Macavity's your father," they taunted. Demeter hid where she hoped no one would find her, but the voices found her and continued.

* * *

Tugger and Etcetera left the cave with Bomba, looking for Demeter. Munkustrap stayed behind to box Macavity's ears. He would have done more but he didn't want to with Rumpleteazer there. She was still a queen and he didn't really want to show her violence too much.

The other black creature took a swipe at Macavity for good measure, and in the half light Munkustrap and Macavity both managed to make out the 'R' on the front of th bodysuit that the creature was wearing.

"The Rumpus Cat!" Munkustrap thought happily. Of all the cats, he had come to help!

Oh no! He's gonna get me like he gets 'em Pollicles!" Macavity was thinking to himself. He looked around for a escape but there was none.

Munkustrap left soon after, happy to leave the villain in the clutches of the Rumpus Cat.

Rumpleteazer grinned at the cowering Macavity. She loved this! Getting her own back over what he'd made 'Jerrie do all those times.

"So Macavity. Not so b'ave and leerin' now're we?" She laughed at him. She untied his bonds. "Better 'eave now. Otherwise Mister 'Umpus Cat might spoil your tatty fur!"

The Rumpus Cat swiped at Macavity, and he wailed in terror, and fled the lair.

"'Ow do we do it 'uh?" Rumpleteazer said to the Rumpus Cat. "He was properly scared of ya!"

"O' I know!" laughed the Rumpus Cat, and removed his headwear and mask.

"Say 'Teazer, we make a great 'eam!"

"I'll say," Teazer said with a laugh, and helped the Rumpus Cat remove his makeshift costume. "And you make a great Rumpus Cat!"

The calico cat laughed too. "'Teazer. O'm really sorry 'bout all t'e fuss over Etcy 'n' 'Lonzo 'n' all t'at...forgive ma? I 'ate myself for w'at I said, and 'ow I acted. 'N' I lioke Bomb, but I only 'id it ta make you jea'ous 'n' I 'as 'onely..."

Teazer laughed at Jerrie. _(Author: Yes folks, it was Jerrie dressed up as Rumpus, in case you hadn't realised!)_

"Yeah Jerrie. I'll forgive you. On one 'ondition. Let's 'ring up 'ickle 'Cettie as our own, 'kay?"

"But won't others ask?" Jerrie said, worried.

"I dont care. And if they do, I'll tell them the truth. That's what I should have done in the first place." Teazer hugged Jerrie.

"Maybe if it goes well, maybe we could give her a brother or sister in the future?" She winked, and Jerrie laughed.


	3. Demeters Loves & Losses

**Three**

_Demeter had loved someone once. She remembered it as if it were yesterday, the first few weeks in her world came drifting back..._

She was abandoned at a few weeks old in a bin, and left to rot. By some miracle a Pollicle had heard her frightened tired mews and had tipped the bin to look for the tidbit of food. The little kitten had run for cover, into a open doorway. And there was another cat there. She sensed it. He was calico, and larger than her. Then footsteps were heard and the door banged shut behind her. Someone picked her up, cooing:

"Oh what a darling!"

"How sweet!"

"Such large eyes!"

"Must be a stray or something."

She cuddled up into the warmth of the person holding her and mewed pitifully.

"Oh poor little thing. Look after her Munja, and I'll get her something to eat."

She found herself on a blanket on the floor being fed by a bottle. She suckled on it weakly, and tasted milk...not mother's, but it would do...

Those were happy days. She was named Demeter by the eldest child, who happened to be studying Greek Mythology at school. Surrounded by food, warmth, and love, Demeter quickly outgrew the bottle, and moved steadily onto solid food. She couldnt remember a day when she didnt gobble her food down.

As she approached a year old, she became more aware of her surroundings. The kind woman who fed her every day, the children of the house, the husband who came in late, and petted her head once in the morning before leaving the house.

She took over the basket, and the other cat of the house slept in the kitchen.

One morning she would never forget was the morning she didnt bother to gobble her food. She felt relaxed at last. She purred at the woman who fed her, who cooed over her yet again, and settled down to nibble at the bowlful of meat chunks, thinking.

She arched her back to stretch halfway through her meal, when the calico approached her from the kitchen doorway. Demeter stopped mid-stretch and looked at him. The calico sat and looked at her - no, he stared.

Then he pounced at her, and frightened Demeter squealed and scratched and struggled as he tried in vain to mount her.

Her squealing caught the attention of the woman of the house, who rushed immediately to her aid, and dragged the male cat roughly from the queen.

No longer feeling safe, Demeter was out of the door like a shot. The tom had not entered her, but she still ran, like he was pursuing her. She just wanted to hide.

* * *

_Demeter opened her tightly shut eyes. Oh God...she'd hated remembering that. She closed her eyes again and continued to remember her past life, scooting back into the darkness of the bushes, where no one could find her._

One day, as Demeter lay there in a alleyway, tired, hungry, and a former vision of herself, a familiar figure strolled by. Demeter caught the familiar scent too, and looked up. That was when she saw the male calico turning the next corner.

"Munja!" She got up, but he didnt turn, so she raced after him.

"Munja!"

In her haste, running to catch up, Demeter didn't see the oil patch from the nearby oil tanker lorry that had spilled on the pavement, and she lost her footing.

She slid along the street, past the surprised calico, who turned to look at her as she fell off the kerb and landed in the gutter.

A little black with tar, Demeter picked herself out of the gutter, and looked at the calico, who stared at her.

"'ey Doll," he eyed her, "O 'now y'u from somew'ere."

Demeter nodded. "Yeah, from when you were young. You tried to..." She looked away, caught up in the memory she really didn't want to have. "I came running after you, and I slipped," She looked back to where she'd run from. "You didnt answer."

He stares at her, and she fights for breath. Then he speaks.

"Yeoah, I rem'mber ya," He nods, his rich Cockney accent sending shivers down her spine as he helps her up.

"Where were you headed," she asks, as they pace down the street, side by side, occasionally bumping against each other. She feels her face flush, but his registers nothing.

"The Junk'ard."

"The Junk'ard? I mean, whats the Junkyard?"

"Its a place where all the strays hang out and live. Some of us have homes, like me, but most of us live there." Munja winked at her.

They continue talking about small things, such as the weather, the price of catnip, and so on, when they reach the Junkyard entrance.

Munja hung back in the shadows, pulling Demeter with him.

"Listen doll, I gots somet'ing ta tell ya."

"What?"

"My nome's not Munja. It be Mungojerrie," he points to himself proudly. "I never answer to my human given name outside the house. Tha's why I ne'er answered ya." "I work for this 'eally evil 'ough outta o' 'own cat. His nome's Macavity. I can't go in da Junkyard, the Jellicles wont let me in. Go it alone doll." He finishes the long sentence, and kisses her cheek.

"I'll be waiting and watching in the shadows for ya," he whispers, and slinks into the darkness.

Staring after him, chewing on her lip, Demeter turned to the Junkyard entrance and taking a deep breath, entered the Junkyard for the first time.

* * *

_She trembled, peeking out from the bushes. Demeter was alone. The others had left to go back to the Junkyard. Crawling from the bushes, she started to make her way back there herself, and as she walked, she lost herself in her memories again.._.

The silver tabby never missed much in the junkyard. The vantage point from the tyre was a good one. Tonight his eye was caught in particular by the black-gold queen on the other side of the yard. She had to be a outsider because she wasn't with any other cat, and besides, he knew all the cats in the junkyard.

He decided to leave his spot, just for a moment, and went over to talk to her.

"Hi."

She looked at him, beautiful large scared eyes unblinking.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

She just stared at the silver tabby, her eyes filling with tears.

"You sure?" He asked her, seeing the tears. She nodded.

"Can you talk?" She nodded again, and he gave a slight grin.

"Come on," he offered her his paw, but she still stood there, cowering in the half light, looking at him.

"It's alright," he coaxed her. "I just want to take you somewhere safe so we can get you cleaned up."

She looked at his paw hesitantly.

"Please?" He looked straight into her eyes, and a flicker of something passed through him as she put her reddish paw into his strong black one.

He took her over to the highest junkpile and led her up, helping her as she scrambled. He sat her on a old table, and then with a whisper of, "Wait here," he disappeared.

She looked after him, wishing she wasn't all alone in this strange place.

The huge bright moon shone down on her like a spotlight, and she mewed, pawing at the air as if she could touch it.

* * *

He returned sometime later with a tall red queen, who sat down beside the black-gold kitten.

"Hi there. Who might you be?" asked the queen.

Big scared eyes looked at this queen.

The silver tabby dropped to his knees beside the red queen, and reached out one paw to the newcomer, who mewed and backed down, baring her teeth a little.

The silver tabby looked surprised, and the red queen looked at the kitten.

"I think she might be scared of you Munk," the red queen said delicately to the tom, who looked at them both.

"How come?" he asked.

"My guess is a tom. You know. They don't treat kits right these days. She's protecting herself."

They both looked at the kitten, who was by now backed right up at the edge of the table she was sitting on.

"You go." The red queen nudged the tabby, who got up. "Leave her to me, she'll be fine."

"Okay." He stretched out a paw to pat the kitten, thought better of it, and turned to leave, peeping over his shoulder once.

* * *

The kitten stared after his retreating form. Then caught the red queen looking at her.

"So kit, how about a little vocal exercise?" the queen asked.

But all it elicited was the scared eyes again.

"Okay...okay...first things first. My name is Bombalurina. Which is a bit of a mouthful," added the red queen. "You can call me Bomba. Everyone round here does."

"Now," she continued, grooming her cheek fur. "What might YOUR name be?"

Still with her tense shoulders hunched, the kitten said, "Demeter."

"That's a pretty name. Who gave it to you?"

"The humans who used to look after me."

"Used to?" Bomba looked up.

"Yeah...I...they...had a tom...I was eating...he tried to..." Demeter closed her eyes and a involuntary sob rose in her throat, but she swallowed it.

"Oh, tell me about it." Bomba's voice grew indignant. "Some of them are like that."

"But," she looked round at the silver tabby on the other side of the junkyard now, "you don't have to afraid of Munkustrap, the silver tom. He's our protector and leader. He's nice, kind, and..." she winked slightly at Demeter, "...a little bit more, if you get my drift."

Demeter raised a small smile.

Bomba then glanced over her shoulder, looking round as if someone would be listening to her. Then she leaned towards Demeter.

"There is one cat you NEVER get mixed up with."

"Who?"

"The one called Macavity."

"Macavity?" Demeter thought about what Munja -Mungojerrie - had told her.

"Yeah. The worst of his kind. Of any kind. He's a villain, a rough out of towner." Bomba sighed. "I had the misfortune to get mixed up with him once."

"How?" Demeter's eyes were wide with curiousity.

"I don't know how. These things happen. But I had another misfortune," Bomba patted her tummy.

"Wow. You got kittens?"

"You learn fast," Bomba smiled. "Yeah. I did." She went into a dreamy eyed state.

"How many?"

"Only one. Guess he wasn't all he said he was."

"How do you mean?"

"I'll tell you someday. I don't think you're quite old enough for that discussion yet."

Bomba looked closely at Demeter.

"Say, how old are you?"

"I don't know."

"Hmm..." Bomba cocked her head on the side. "I'd say you're round about a year old."

"I guess." Demeter looked back at her. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"How old are you?"

"I don't know," Bomba winked, "One, two, three years old? I don't keep track."

She looked at Demeter again, and this time her eyes widened.

"Gee kit, is that your normal colouring?"

Demeter looked down at herself, and saw all the oil marks on her normally spotless fur.

"I guess not," she grinned.

"Come on. You can't wash that off with your tongue. I've got a rainwater puddle over here that I drink from when I need it. You can use it to wash with." Bomba pointed.

"But I don't like water."

"You want to look nice?"

"Wellllll..."

"Thought so. Come on."

* * *

About two hours later, Demeter had all the tar off her fur, and looked radiant. She had groomed every single piece of fur back into place, and her eyes sparkled, her tail swishing. Bombalurina proved to be a good hunter, and had caught and killed two large rats with a clever swipe of her claws. Demeter sat munching her food, drinking from another puddle of rainwater, and feeling the most content she had done in ages.

Bomba reappeared as she was finishing her meal, and smiled at her.

"All ready to go kit?" She asked almost affectionately.

"Where we off to?" Demeter swallowed the last of the rat, and looked up.

"The tyre. You've got to go through the initiation ceremony so you can become a Jellicle. Part of the tribe."

Demeter didn't argue. She didn't know why.

"Munkustrap will do the ceremony. Old Deuteronomy's not feeling too good today."

"Who's Old Deut...Deuteronomy?" Demeter struggled with the name a little.

"He's our leader, the one Munkustrap's going to take over from."

"Oh."

By this time, they had started walking, and had approached the middle of the junkyard. And of course, a new cat never goes un-noticed.

"Who's this Bomba?" asked a black and white cat. He stared at them, and Demeter stared back, looking at the patch over his eye.

"Wait for the announcement," Bomba hissed at him, and pushed past him, Demeter following.

The crowd moved with the two queens, and Demeter found herself on the edge of the crowd, with a little white and striped queen bouncing alongside her.

"Hi," mewed the queen, who wasn't more than a kitten. "I'm Etcettreeer!" (pronounced Et-cet-tree-er. Etcetera's kittenish way of saying her name) She giggled.

"I'm Demeter," whispered back Demeter, and the kitten grinned and nuzzled her.

"K! I like you! Bye!" she bounced off, over towards a female calico, who ruffled her ears, and looked at the group. Demeter looked back at her. Something about the calico there reminded her of...

She found herself being swept upwards onto the tyre, and forgot her thoughts, as the red queen continued to push forward through the crowd of cats.

* * *

Munkustrap looked round as the cats began to assemble themselves. From his vantage point, even higher up on top of the old chair that served as a look out point across the junkyard, he could see the cats assembling quietly, and two figures making their way up towards the tyre.

He jumped down from the chair, and went to make the announcement. The final jump from the high junkpile was a long one, so he landed on the tyre with a bit of a bump, and both queens jumped. Then he saw the liitle black-gold queen's face change from surprise and fear to joy.

He smiled at her, and to his ultimate surprise, she smiled back at him! He glanced at Bomba, who nodded at him, and turned back to the new queen.

"Hi," he greeted her. "Feeling better now?"

"Yes thank you..." she said liltingly, and he gazed at her. What a voice. It nearly turned his knees to jelly.

Demeter turned to Bomba, who nodded at the new queen as well. Just as Munkustrap left the tyre to do a check of the area, he heard her say,

"...Munkustrap." And his heart fluttered...

* * *

Munkustrap came back and went up onto the rubber tyre again later, and Bombalurina slipped down to sit on a old mattress, so she was out of the way of the ceremony, but also so she was there as support for the new queen.

She looked out across at the other cats. All the kittens, white and striped Etcetera, red/black tabbies Electra and Jemima, the completely white queen Victoria, and Pouncival, brown and white like his brother Tumblebrutus were there.

Then there was Mistoffelees the little tux cat, sleek Cassandra, the old Gumbie cat, Jennyanydots, and finally the whitish furred Jellylorum with the ginger tom Skimbleshanks.

No one else seemed to have turned up...oh wait, Bomba thought, noticing Coricopat and Tantomile slinking out of the dark and towards Munkustrap and Demeter on the tyre.

Demeter watched the two black and white cats come up and hand something to Munkustrap, who thanked them, and watched them go down into the crowd of Jellicles.

Demeter's eye roamed the Junkyard, looking at all the cats, a little scared. She looked into the darkness, so she wouldn't feel so scared of the other cats.

At the back of the Junkyard, she made out a black and white cat...with that calico...Wait a second. Her eyes fixed on the scene. Wow. They were close...

She broke away from where she was looking, as Munkustrap held out the something he had received from the two black and white cats.

She took it, and stared at it. It was a little yellow marble, with pink and blue hints glinting from it.

"What's this?" She asked a little indignantly. She looked at Munkustrap.

"It's a marble."

"What?" She glared at him.

"It helps to unlock your power. If you have a special power, you will belong to the Jellicles."

Demeter looked at the marble. "Well, what do I do with it?"

"Don't tempt me!" someone yelled from the crowd, and Demeter's eyes flashed angrily as she looked up. Munkustrap gave a haughty glance into the audience, and whispered,

"Do whatever feels right."

_"What, like shoving it up your nose?"_ Demeter thought. But instead, she rubbed at the marble.

"It's pretty dirty," she remarked, holding it up to the light and rubbing it a bit.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" came a yell from the crowd instantly.

Demeter and Munkustrap, not to mention the several others around the tyre, all looked to see the panic.

A little black and white tux cat in the middle of the crowd was lying on his back, paws over his eyes.

"What's the matter?" Munkustrap called down, and Demeter lowered the marble from the air, and put it in her lap.

The cat sat up. "Nothing." He rubbed his eyes.

"Okay." All attention turned back to Demeter on the tyre, who held the marble up again, and rubbed at it.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! STOPPIT!" The tux cat rolled about on the floor again, and the kittens giggled, thinking he was doing it on purpose to confuse the newcomer and get noticed by her.

"Mistoffelees!" Munkustrap nearly lost his temper. "What the heck is going on?"

Demeter lowered the ball, and Misto sat up again.

"Geez, how should I know?" he yelled back at the silver tabby angrily.

Demeter looked down at Bomba, shrugged, then held the ball back up to the light and rubbed yet again at it.

"WAHHHHHHHHH! NO PLEASEEEEEEEEEEE DON'T DOOOOOO THATTTTTTT!" The black and white cat rolled about in agony, clutching at his face.

Demeter lowered the ball. "What's his name Munkustrap?" she asked quietly.

"That? That's Mistoffelees."

Demeter nodded, and called down, "Mistoffelees, what keeps happening?"

The reaction to her voice calling down was instant...she had a voice like a tinkling of small golden bells. All the toms turned to stare at the beautiful gold-black queen, and she blushed under their gazes.

Misto called up to her, "I keep getting a white bright flash in my eyes, in my brain and it stings my eyes too."

Munkustrap listened to Misto's words, and turned to the two black and white cats.

"Is this meant to happen?"

"No," called back the queen. "She has a very special power."

The air was electric.

"She has the power of foresight, to see and know when evil lurks." called the tom.

"Isn't that normal in most cats?" Munkustrap called down.

"Yes, but only a very minute sense is apparant. Hers is so strong she can connect with Mistoffelees, who has that power too, but not so great."

"Wow!" commented a black and red tabby, staring at the new queen.

"You have the power always inside you now, new one," the queen and tom stood up, and slunk up through the debris, relieving the marble from the queen, to a relieved sigh from Mistoffelees.

"You are one of us," the black and white queen told the newcomer, who smiled shyly.

"Use your power while fresh," the black and white tom added, and then slunk back down the junkpile with his queen.

Demeter glanced at Bomba, then at Munkustrap, who both nodded at her.

She closed her eyes, concentrated, and saw instantly a little gold ball, which flashed a bright image into her head, swirls of light exploding in her head.

She clutched her head as the power began to take control of her, and felt someone's paws on her shoulders, and a deep voice saying, "Demeter?"

She opened her eyes, and Munkustrap was there next to her, holding her body into his. She shivered, and spoke.

"I sense something evil. I sense..."

The air bristled at her words, and Munkustrap backed away a bit.

"It's not good," she whispered to Munkustrap. "It's a ginger tom."

He gazed into her eyes, and took her paw.

"Macavity," he whispered back, and Demeter's eyes widened.

* * *

_She still felt the power within her now. At times it would be strong. Last year at the ball, she had sensed Macavity a number of times, but the Jellicles failed to respond enough. They just sat about and swished their tails, and mumbled about her. She could hear it with her paranoia, floating on the breeze. She shivered, and sat outside the Junkyard entrance. There was a scene here too, she remembered, drifting back..._

"That was quite a remarkable spectacle as I hear, young Demeter," Old Deuteronomy said from the church wall.

"Really?" The queen looked up at this old cat, who must have been close on to double figures in age.

"Oh yes. In fact, one of the most significant and thrilling events in Jellicle history." Old Deut smiled kindly down at her. "You must be careful with the power. Mistoffelees can use his whenever he wants, but he has learned to deal with it. You must do the same."

He looked up at the silver tom lurking at the end of the street impatiently.

"You and Munkustrap, you go now. I'll have my sleep and return to the Junkyard tonight."

"Yes, Old...Deuteronomy.." Demeter managed the name, smiled, and raced down the street towards Munkustrap.

"Goodbye, little one," Old Deut. smiled after her, mumbling to himself. Then he curled up, face on paws, and fell asleep.

* * *

"What did Old Deuteronomy say to you?" Munkustrap asked the young queen trotting at his side.

"He just talked to me about my power, and stuff like that. That was all." She replied.

Munkustrap felt proud of her. She knew how to keep herself to herself. But that would change, he hoped. He saw some other toms across the way staring at him with the pretty queen. They were not Jellicles. You could tell from the way they walked, slumped and miserable. Munkustrap held his head high, walked tall. Demeter would be safe with him. They would just have to be jealous. Mind you, they could come near, he could fight them off in no time, make Demeter see his power, make her...

"Munkustrap...!" Demeter's scared voice came to him. "What is...that?"

"What's what...oh!" Munkustrap's head snapped up. They were literally 300 yards from the Junkyard, and something had wandered in front of them while Munkustrap had been thinking about Demeter.

He hissed. "It's a Pollicle," he unsheathed his claws, staring at the brown monster.

Demeter gave a small shriek and cowered behind the silver tom, huddling for safety.

She peeked from between Munkustrap's legs, and suddenly there were two other cats there. One was the black and white cat that Demeter had taken notice of yesterday, and the other was...

"What are you doing here?" she heard the black and white cat hiss, and the other spoke up.

"I'om 'ere ta do t'e same as yo'iu, rescuin' the Doill," he drawled.

"Back off," Munkustrap snarled, keeping one eye on the Pollicle and the other on the calico cat.

"Munkustrap," Demeter tugged at his tail, "Leave Mungojerrie be," she begged.

"You know him?" The black and white cat's face was incredulous.

"Yes...I..." Demeter began. "Oops, not good," she thought, seeing the toms staring.

"How?" Munkustrap diverted his attention to the queen, and the Pollicle took his chance, leaping forward to attack the Jellicle cat.

But in a split second something else was there as well, knocking Munkustrap over, nearly landing on top of Demeter, who squealed and ran behind a bush for safety. The calico had reacted immediately to the Pollicle, and had jumped forward to protect the silver tabby who was looking after the queen so well.

There came a ear splitting howl from the huge Pollicle, who slumped to the floor, clutching it's torso and legs. As Mungojerrie had leapt forward, he had unsheathed his claws, and going across the front of Munkustrap, had managed to gorge a huge chunk out of the Pollicle for good measure.

The black and white cat pushed at the dog, and it whined, collapsing in a heap, blood seeping from its huge gaping wound. Muttering, the black and white cat joined the others, Demeter now creeping from behind the bush.

Munkustrap sat down shaking with Alonzo, expecting Demeter to come to him, to go to the Junkyard, to be safe from Pollicles...but she didn't come. To his horror, Munkustrap found himself turning round...and there she was, licking and tending to Mungojerrie's wounds!

"Demeter?" he called, but she didn't respond to him, just kept on tending. Fuming, he got up, and padded over.

* * *

"Demeter?" she heard him say, and ignored him.

"Demeter?" muttered Mungojerrie. She'd been with him five minutes, licking at the cut on the face he'd recieved from the rock he'd fallen against.

"Mungo," she whispered back affectionately, and licked his nose.

"Mmm...noce s'and wet," he muttered again, and she smiled down at him.

He had a gash running down the side of the cheek too, she wondered where it came from. Maybe the Pollicle got him...it looked like a razor sharp claw mark.

"I know you are," she giggled at his words, and he opened his eyes.

"Wow," she thought. "I never noticed his eyes before."

"Deme?" He asked her, and she felt her heart flutter at the new nickname, "Take me...insode..."

She furrowed her brow. "Meaning?"

"Can y'u git me inta the Junk'ard?"

"I..." she began, but stopped as Munkustrap came up.

"Come on Demeter," he said, and tried to take her paw, but she wouldn't let him.

"Come on," Munkustrap said again, but she still wouldn't have it.

"What's happening to Mungojerrie?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Oh, leave him for the Pollicles," she heard the other tom say behind her.

She instantly turned on him. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?" she hollered.

"Whoa...Deme," came the gruff accented voice. "Calm dewn."

"I can't leave you," she whispered to the calico, going over to nuzzle him. A little surprised now, the calico purred, and nuzzled her back.

"You gos Doill. I'll just loy 'ere a whoil."

"No!" She stood her ground, turned round again, and glared at the toms.

"Are you going to take him in or not?"

Munkustrap turned to look at the black and white cat. "Oh well. Guess we better."

Demeter stared at him. Did he have a heart of stone? She wondered.

* * *

_Demeter's eyes fluttered open. Unknown to herself, while she had been reliving her past, she had closed her eyes to picture the scenes she remembered so well...she concentrated, pushing her power aside, trying to get at a deeper memory she had not relived at all..._

Demeter wandered in behind Mungojerrie, who was flanked on either side by Munkustrap and the strange cat. She still had not asked his name, and didn't really care for him now. He seemed brash, ignorant, and she didn't warm to him at all.

The toms lay Mungojerrie on the far side of the yard, and she winced as he dropped awkwardly to the floor. Then the toms looked at each other, at Demeter, and left.

Munkustrap didn't even turn to glance at her, to ask if she was coming with them. He just walked away, head held high as normal, talking with the black and white tom.

Demeter pursed her lips. Fine, let him be like that then. She'd show him. She walked over to Mungojerrie, who saw her coming, and purred a little at her when she touched his paw with her own.

"Loive ya Doill," he whispered, as she licked the razor like cut down his face.

"What?" She drew back a bit and looked at his eyes, feeling faint.

"I saoid, O loive ya...Doill," he took her paw properly, and she stared. He raised her paw to his lips and kissed it.

Demeter dropped her gaze. "No," she whispered to herself, "He can't love me. No one does..." Her thoughts went to Munkustrap, how he walked away from her.

Then down to Mungojerrie.

"I can't love you Mungojerrie," she whispered to him. "I just can't, I'm sorry..."

"Woy not?" he asked, and his voice sent shivers down her spine. "Woy?"

"Because...I...I..."

"See? You're runnin' from me ain't ya?"

"No!"

"Come here," he whispered to her, and drew her closer to him.

Demeter felt his lips press to hers...and then something contacted with the side of the head and she found herself lying on this floor.

* * *

This something hissed at her. It paced around her, still hissing, as Demeter lay there stunned. She blinked, trying to clear her head, but it wouldn't work. She closed her eyes as the ground spun under her, trying to get rid of the ache in her skull, her breathing getting heavier, and she moaned in pain.

"Tho' ya could steal 'im from ma, did ya?" a low voice snarled in her ear.

Demeter opened her eyes, still groggy, and thankfully the floor wasnt spinning anymore. The thing paced in front of her, and she looked up slightly, careful not to jar her aching head.

A calico queen stood in front of her. "Don't ya DARE touch ma mate," she hissed at Demeter, and Demeter cowered. 'Jerrie had a mate?

"That's roight honey, you stay there a whoil. Don't 'ome near us, ya 'ear?"

"No," Demeter whimpered, putting her paws over her head, and wishing the ground would open so she could fall in for a few hours until the calico had gone, and so her head would stop spinning.

* * *

_Demeter shuddered...she didn't remember everything that happened that day. But Rumpleteazer didn't either. The two queens had slowly made up over the years, Demeter steering clear of Mungojerrie the whole time, and Rumpleteazer finally allowing Demeter to comfort her over Etcetera recently. __Demeter didn't remember what had happened to make Rumpleteazer forgive her so quickly. She was about two years old now, and a little older than Demeter, by a few months._

_It was going to be a stretch on her memory bank then, to remember what came after Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie were gone..._

She awoke a few hours later, the ache in her head gone, the ground not spinning, everything alright...she touched her lips, remembering Jerrie's kiss...and tasted blood.

She looked at her paw in horror. It was covered with blood.

Mewing pitifully, Demeter scrambled to her feet, and made out to search for the red queen she loved...Munkustrap the silver tabby would not understand her now, she was sure...

* * *

"HEAVISIDES ABOVE!" Bomba yelled, jumping to her feet when Demeter appeared in front of her. She'd been peacefully talking to a lion maned cat, who eyed Demeter, and she eyed him back.

"Demeter?" Bomba looked at her, and Demeter realised she'd been staring.

"Sorry? What did you say?" she said, and Bomba sighed.

"Who did this to you?"

"Ummm...I don't know..." Demeter dropped her head, and Bomba sighed again.

"Okay okay, come on, we'll clean you up again." She put one arm around Demeter's shoulders, and led her away.

"Look at you," Bomba said, cleaning Demeter's tail.

"Is it bad?" Demeter asked. Bomba stopped what she was doing, and face Demeter.

"Is it bad? Is it BAD?" She screeched, and Demeter's face registered shock.

"You've got blood all over you, and you think it isn't bad? Look, blood on your face, paws, gashes on your tail, on your body, geez Demi this is gonna take a while." Bomba went back to licking and preening Demeter, who just sat and watched.

"What do you say did it?" Demeter asked turning to watch the red queen.

"Claws, most likely," Bomba replied. She took Demeter's tail and showed her it. "See there," she pointed to a long gash in the fur, "that is a claw mark. Nothing else comes close."

"What about my body marks?"

"Some bruises," Bomba examined the queen's body, "and a couple claw gashes again. What surprises me is the amount of blood."

Demeter tried to wash her face to help Bomba out as she talked, but she hated the sight of her own blood, and lay down to whimper sadly.

She didn't remember Bomba leading her back to where the lion maned cat was, but she remembered sitting down with them to talk...

"Hey new one," the lion maned cat said to her, and she just eyed him. "I'm the Rum Tum Tugger, but you sweet thing, can call me Tugger," he reached out to touch her paw, but she flinched away, staring at the floor.

"Hey what's the matter with you?" He tried again, and she reacted the same way, moving herself away.

He went to get up, and she cowered again, then feeling her paws hitting the ground hard, her heart pounding, and hearing Bomba call after her, "Demi! Wait!" as she ran away.

* * *

_Demeter stopped concentrating. Her mind didn't need to concentrate now. She remembered how last year she had rejected Tugger at the ball when he moved over to her and brushed against her. In fact, she had never had a tom. She rejected them all...and yet...and yet he was always there...watching her...making sure she came to no harm...responding to her calls. __She went to the centre of the Junkyard...knowing he would be there. She had loved someone once, yes, but he wasn't ever to be hers._

_"Mungojerrie," she thought, "I will always love you.". _

_"Doll," she added to herself, with a smile._

* * *

She went up onto the junkpiles, seeing him staring up at the moon. The night was heavy over the junkyard, and she could see the cavelets the Jellicles occupied from her place near the tyre. Bomba was asleep in the cavelet nearest the tyre, her paw and face outside the cave. That was Munkustrap's cavelet, she knew that.

But the silver tabby was the one on the tyre tonight, and Demeter moved over beside him softly.

* * *

He jumped as she brushed softly against him, purring, and looked at her. She was still so beautiful. He remembered back when she used to brush against him when they first met, and the way she said his name, sending him to the Heaviside and back again. Now as he looked into her eyes, he saw contentment in her face. She nuzzled him more insistently, looking deep into his eyes, her gaze sweeping through his soul.

She no longer looked frightened of anything. The power was in her still, he knew that. But she used it but occasionally, and it always triggered when something bad was about to happen. She was the most precious possession to him, and he wanted to take care of her always.

"Munkustrap," she purred softly into his side, and his heart caught fire as her lips moved over his.

What was going on? he wondered, as she kissed him. Bombalurina always said Demeter was frightened of toms. Bomba had even insisted that something had happened between Mungojerrie and Demeter when Munkustrap and Alonzo had left her there alone, and Munkustrap was inclined to agree, and blamed himself.

He broke the kiss, and she looked up at him. But before the frightened look could pass over her face, he took her paw, and snuggled against her, purring.

"Not frightened anymore, young Demi?" he asked.

"No..." she whispered, hesitating.

"What's the matter?" He caught her eye and she looked at him.

"No, I'm not frightened, of anything...anymore..." she looked at him, and a confident glimmer shone in her eye.

"Why's that?" he asked, and she answered him.

"Last year...Macavity...I never thanked you for rescuing me when he was going to steal me. He wanted me for my power, so I could not save the Jellicles, so he could kill you all. He wanted to kill Old Deuteronomy too."

Munkustrap looked at her. "I never knew that. I thought he wanted to steal you from me, so he could have you for himself."

"Oh no, it was nothing like that...I mean, I know he said he loved me but I don't believe it after tonight..." Demeter stopped mid-sentence and looked at him. "What do you mean, steal me from you?"

"I..." Munkustrap looked away.

She was pressing her paws to his chest instantly, trying to look in his eyes. "What do you mean?" she repeated.

"I mean...I...love you," Munkustrap whispered to her, his breath tickling her earfur.

She gazed at him. "Why do you think I came up here tonight?"

"I give up," he shrugged, grinning at her. "You wanted a nice kiss?"

She swatted his shoulder playfully, "No silly. Because I love you as well. You're the only one who ever truly cared about me, and I nearly threw it away. You save me from every Macavity scare, you always listen, and you are always there. I never want to lose you Munkustrap." she finished softly.

"Oh Demeter.." Munkustrap took her in his arms and nuzzled her softly, affectionately. "Be my mate," he whispered gently. "I want you so much.."

"Oh Munk..." Demeter nearly cried with joy. "Of course I will."

_At last. Demeter had gotten her one true love, and she never planned to lose him again._


	4. Bomba's Choice

**Four**

Bombalurina looked over, waking from her slumber near the tyre. She shook her head, staring.

"No. No I'm daydreaming," she thought, closing her eyes and reopening them. But the image remained.

Munkustrap and Demeter. Kissing.

Unable to tear her eyes away, Bomba sat frozen, watching them break apart. Munkustrap's paw sliding down over Demeter's back to rest on her hip. She curled up her legs under her and rested her head on his shoulder. The moon bathed the happy couple in it's bright warm happy glow.

But Bomba was in the dark, cold and alone.

* * *

Bomba must have drifted back to sleep, because the next thing she knew, it was morning and she was waking up because something hit her. Rubbing her head, Bomba sat up.

"What was that?" she asked herself dozily, and looked about. She glanced back out of the pipe, just in time to see a shadowy face appear. Bomba shrieked and jumped back.

"Bom?" came a queen's voice, and Etcetera ducked inside the sleeping place. Bomba sighed.

"Etcetera. It's you. What is it?"

"My ball rolled in here. Did I wake you?"

Bomba looked round again, noticing the ball in the corner of the cavelet. She went to retrieve it, tossing it back to the white and striped kitten. "You could say that."

Etcetera grinned, catching the ball. "Sorry."

Bomba yawned. "Go on, ski-daddle kit, before I get a bad bout of early morning blues and whack ya one or something," she said half teasingly.

Etcetera nodded, and scampered out.

* * *

Bomba was washing herself in the pipe later, having removed herself gracefully from Munkustrap's cavelet. She didn't feel right being there somehow...not after what she'd seen.

Something bumped into her from behind as she sat there, engrossed in her lonely thoughts, and she jumped in shock, hitting her head on the roof of the pipe, and cursing, looked round to see Mistoffelees.

"Jeez why don't you look where you're going?" she snapped, rubbing her head. She wondered briefly how many more times she would endanger her cranium...

Misto held his paws up. "Hey, sorry." He frowned. "Actually you sat back on me. I was about to say your name and ask you something."

Bomba looked at him. "Misto whatever happened, you would still be WAY too close. If you had said my name from where you are, I would still have jumped..." She glanced at him again...

"Were you trying to touch my butt?"

Misto blushed.

Bomba's eyes widened. "MISTO!"

"Sorry Bom, I..." he began, but she was up.

"It's okay," she waved a paw at him, "Use my space. Damnit, I'm not staying near you!"

* * *

Sitting on the rocking chair, the vantage point across the yard, Alonzo watched lazily. Etcetera and Electra were playing ball with Pouncival, and he kept hogging the ball, causing one or the other of the two queens to jump on him and wrestle the ball away.

A lone figure swished by the group, and Alonzo's eyes followed her. She slipped into the darkness of the old oven, and didn't reappear for a while. When she did, Alonzo followed her back over the yard. He hoped she was okay. She'd really had her heart broken by him.

* * *

Bomba purred slightly to herself, looking out of the oven. It was dark and cosy there, no interruptions...

"Hello? Jemima?" Jennyanydots' face popped into view, and Bomba looked up.

"Darn, spoke too soon," Bomba thought, and put on her best concerned expression.

"What is it Jenny?" she asked, not really having a care in the world about others problems.

"It's Jemima. She's gone off somewhere with Victoria. I cant find her." Jenny looked really worried, but Bomba didn't seem to notice.

"Have you tried outside the junkyard? The highest piles? Any hidden areas?" she asked, with a slight stifled yawn.

Jenny looked annoyed. "Of course I have." She looked at Bomba. "Please don't yawn like that. This is very important."

Bomba looked annoyed now. "I cant control my yawns," she said tersely.

Jenny shook her head and without another word, wandered off again, and Bomba could hear her calling 'Jemima? Jemima?' as she curled back up again.

* * *

She was watching the kittens in the middle of a half dozy state when a dark figure slipped in beside her. Bomba looked up.

"Hello Bomba," purred a rich creamy voice from beside her. It was Cassandra, one of the eldest queens. Also one of Bomba's closest friends, after Demeter.

Bomba purred back, equally richly, "Morning Cassy." She sat up, grooming her cheekfur, shaking her head a little as she did so. "What is it?" she enquired, turning brown eyes to the dark queen.

Cassandra purred, "It's that damn cat again."

Bomba's face registered nothing, then it clicked. "Tugger?"

Cassy nodded, her face expressionless. "I just don't know what to do. I try and act all sultry, I'm over the top. But if I don't I end up like...like..."

"A lower class cat, totally unlike yourself?" Bomba guessed, and Cassy nodded again.

"It's just SO not me. Why can't he learn some manners, how to treat a lady?" she looked out of the oven.

"Well that's easy. He never went with a lady as such. You have so much grace and poise he doesn't know how to treat you. He's not used to it."

Bomba privately retched at her own words. Tugger was damn cute. Why did he pick Cassy over her...she was elegant too, and not stuck up, and she was graceful too...Cassy's voice broke into her thoughts.

"I guess I should go tell him it's over." She got up. "I'll see you later."

As Cassy turned her back, Bomba smiled. Tugger was free? Interesting...

* * *

Tugger was in his den, grooming his mane with a new silver comb that he had found in the junkpiles outside his home. But there was one piece of fur that turned the wrong way, and he was having a hell of a time trying to put it into place.

So he hardly noticed Cassi coming in.

She sat on the mattress behind him. In front of Tugger was a large shard of mirror glass and so he instantly saw her reflection.

"Hey Cassi honey." He drawled, running the comb through his headfur. He put the comb down, and brushing at his leopard spotted chest, turned to her.

"So Doll, what is it?" he asked sauvely, noticing the way the mood had changed within the den.

She told him. Minutes later she could be seen reappearing, her face tear stained and stressed.

* * *

Jemima moaned, "But Jenny!" she looked up at the older queen. "Do I have to?" she whined.

Jennyanydots looked at the kitten. "Yes."

Jemima sighed. "But thats so BORING!" she sniffed. "Victoria doesnt have to play with the others if she doesnt want to."

Jennyanydots nudged the red and black queen nearer to the other three. "Victoria is older than the rest of you, so she's allowed to do as she likes. While in the junkyard at your age, you obey my rules, and no running off again, you hear?" she spoke firmly to the kitten, and called to Electra.

"Electra lovie, would you be a dear and look after Jemima for me while I go to see Jellylorum?"

Across the yard, Electra nodded, and beckoned to Jemima. "Jemi! Come play!"

She was holding the ball, and tossed it to Pounce, who wasnt ready, went to catch the ball...and fell flat on his back.

Electra's playmate Etcetera squealed and pounced Pouncival (*hehe*), pinning him.

"TICKLE!" she screeched, and Electra ignored Jemima, diving forward to poke Pouncival's ribs.

Pounce started to wriggle, crying out for help, but none came as the two queens continued to torture him...

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Pounce had a very girlish squeal!

Jemima watched from afar, and looked round. Jenny had disappeared, and the others hadn't noticed her or involved her.

She sniffled. It wasn't fair. Why did Victoria get all the good stuff?

Sulking the kitten went over to the junkpiles by the other three, and curled up on a pile of old cardboard. Refusing to join in, but just watching miserably. She was already bored.

* * *

The red queen wasn't normally so cautious around this area. Normally? She'd go straight into his den. But today...she just couldn't.

She swallowed, thinking. Was she getting like her sister Demeter? Had their roles been reversed since last night? Nah. Fat chance, she grinned to herself. Demeter would never snag a tom like...ooh...Tugger...she shivered inside.

With a small smirk on her face, trying to act nonchalant, she waltzed inside.

She stopped about four paces in.

Sitting on the mattress, his head in his paws, was Tugger. Tilting her head, Bomba advanced a little more inside...

"Tugger?" her soft mellow voice floated through the den, and Tugger looked up, his eyes wide. Unbeknownst to Bomba, when she used her sultry voice, she sounded EXACTLY like Cassi did normally, and this had caused Tugger to think she was Cassi.

However the redness of her fur gave her away and Tugger sighed, getting up. "What do you want?" he asked, sounding moody.

Bomba peeked her head round the corner of the entrance chamber. The den Tugger had was shaped rather like a igloo, with two parts to it. It might as well have been just as cold. She shivered again, unsure if it was the coolness in his voice, or the feeling inside her.

"I was wondering if you were okay? Normally you've been..."

He cut her off. "Okay? Okay?" he glared at her. Bomba was quite taken aback, and it showed in her eyes. She blinked at him, and Tugger retreated.

"Yeah. I'll be fine," he returned, going over to the mirror. As he did so, Bomba caught sight of the piece of fur that turned the wrong way, and stifled a giggle.

Tugger happened to glance at her just then, and caught the smirk full on. He raised his brows at her, and Bomba pulled her face straight, her eyes twinkling.

Tugger just looked at her. Damn, she got lovelier every time he looked at her. Why the hell did he brush her off last year at the Ball, and drop her every time some other queen came along...and more to the point, what had he been doing with Cassandra?

Shaking the thought from his head, Tugger swayed his hips in front of the mirror and it was then, once more, that he took notice of that darned piece of fur that wouldnt lay flat.

He motioned with one paw to Bomba. "Come in," and went back to trying to flatten the fur on his mane.

Bomba ducked inside, her tall reddish frame striking in the half light of the den. Tugger couldnt help but stop what he was doing, and just watched her sway over to the mattress, and sit down. As soon as she started watching him in the mirror, he stopped looking at her, and turned back to his grooming. Swallowing the lump in his throat.

Tugger never got nervous around a female. So what was happening to him? He thought he knew. Tugger was used to laying everything in sight! Since he'd been with Cassi, there'd been no time for that, she was always tired, and she very rarely let him touch her or love her in THAT way. So Tugger had been pretty neglected of late.

And now, looking at Bomba, he cast his mind over the other queens in the junkyard, and none came close to her...he turned, and swaggered over to the mattress, and sat down beside the red fireball, the fur still unflattened.

Bomba watched him come over, her gaze fixed firmly on those damn hips swaying in front of her...wow...it was all she could do to hold herself upright and not keel over back on the bed...although that would probably be a good idea considering what she'd love to feel right now.

She giggled, and reached out to the unflattened fur on his mane. "You missed a spot," she teased him, and licked her paw, rubbing it over his mane. The fur flattened instantly, and a electric bolt ran up Bomba's arm as she realised exactly what she was doing to Tugger. She withdrew her paw hastily, and looked up at him a little shyly. She hadn't meant to go so fast, she meant to do as normal, tease him a little. But she'd known him so long. Somehow, there wasn't going to be any more teasing...

* * *

_**Later...**_

"Tuggs..."

"Yes babes?" he asked softly, savouring the warm glow of the aftermath of their...lovemaking?

"Nothing." she trailed off, lying there under his body, her breath coming in quick short gasps.

Completely spent, he rolled off her, lying beside her on his back, and closed his eyes. Instantly a image of Cassandra floated into view. A lump rose in Tugger's throat.

This hadn't been right. He felt vile. Like...like he'd betrayed the dark queen for a bit of...

Tugger cursed himself. In his half thinking state, he felt something pressing to him for a cuddle, jumping and opening his eyes.

Bomba cuddled to Tugger, and was about to tell him how nice the mating had been when he jumped, opened his eyes...and shoved her back from him.

Startled, the red queen jumped back, sitting up, hurt welling inside her. She looked at him...no...he hadn't just...used her? Like she liked to use the males if neccessary? Which hadn't been for a while.

"Get out," his voice snapped at her, and tears welled in her eyes.

"Tugger," she tried, but it was impossible.

"I said, get out." He raised himself off the bed, and actually looked menacing.

Scared, the red queen hopped off the bed in a bit of a state, and literally dashed from the den, afraid if she didn't that Tugger would lose his patience and hit her. She didn't honestly think he would do that, but then again she had also no honest idea of what he was capable of.

It wasnt until she reached the safety of her cavelet by the big tyre that she threw herself into a corner of the darkness. She started thinking about how lonely she was, about how everyone else had someone. Munkustrap had Demeter now, and everyone was happy and friendly with everyone else, and now Tugger didn't want her...and she was all alone.p Consumed with self pity, Bomba wept sadly, her body racking with soft sobs.

* * *

Alonzo made his way down from the tyre, winding his weary way towards his den, passing the other cavelets on the way. His den was tucked back on the lower shelf of the junkyard, nearby the old oven, and this came in handy sometimes, he preferred a lower den because that meant he didnt have to climb all the way up the junkpiles when tired at night.

His ears pricked at a sound, and he stopped, wondering. He was tired, well, weary really, the junkyard was kinda quiet, except for the kittens manical playing laughter.

But the noise seemed to carry on the wind to him. Turning, the black and white tom padded over to the cavelets on the other side of the yard. Jumping up a little way, he peeked his head into the cavelet where the sound was coming from.

"Hello?" he asked the darkness.

* * *

Bomba rolled herself into a tight ball, and sniffled, "Go 'way." sounding more like a angry kitten in a temper. "I dont wanna see anyone," she insisted, not realising her tone of voice was different.

But Alonzo noticed. He blinked, putting his two front paws into the cavelet, and saw her there in the corner, and instantly felt a genuine pain in his heart. He didn't like to see any queen unhappy, but with Bombalurina...she was always so alive, full of vigor, and life. Always the soul of the party...and to see her this way scared him.

"Bom?" He used the nickname out of pure concern, his voice raised a little, and took a few more steps inside.

Bomba only sniffled at that, turning away. She didnt want to see anyone, only wanted Tugger to say he was sorry, for the toms to notice her. And did they? Hell no.

Alonzo took a deep breath and padded closer, unsure on what to say or do. In his infinite wisdom, he decided to say. "Is there anything I can do?"

Bad move.

Bomba turned instantly. "I SAID, GO AWAY!" She screamed, her emotion getting the better of her, "LEAVE ME ALONE, DAMN YOU!"

Alonzo's eyes widened in shock. So, there was another Bomba he didnt know...and he didnt like it either. He backed down, his eyes still large.

"Okay...okay...I'm going.." he said, keeping his gaze fixed on her. He backed all the way to the entrance, turned and left.

Bomba watched him go, her eyes fixed on him too. Then she snuffled weakly and turned back, beginning to cry again, feeling completely wretched.

A few hours later, she could be found lying on her side in the corner. Her eyes as red as her fur, curled into a ball, fast asleep, all cried out.

* * *

As Alonzo left the den where Bomba was, his eyes scanned the yard. Munkustrap was nowhere to be seen, and that worried Alonzo. That meant he'd have to keep a eye on the yard until Munkustrap returned, He noticed on the far side of the yard that the kittens were still playing ball, but they had a companion of sorts now. Little Jemima. Alonzp smiled to himself. She was still the small kitten he remembered from last year's ball, still as stubborn as ever. "Much like her mother," Alonzo muttered with a wry grin.

He sauntered over to where the red and black kitten was lying, having to make his way over several junkpiles in the process. Reaching her side at last, he looked at her. For a brief instant she reminded him of Bombalurina in her temper, but he tried to push the thought aside.

"Hey Jemima," He began, a little unsure of how this queen would react if she was in a mood.

"Oh, hey Alonzo," Jemima returned lazily, not even looking at the black and white tom besides her. "It's so boring around here today, isn't it?" She commented. "Uh...well...gee...if you say so..." Alonzo began, not wanting to anger her.

"It would be so much more interesting if I could do my own thing," Jemima went on.

Alonzo cleared his throat. He, along with Munkustrap, Jenny, and Jellylorum, had very strict rules over what the kittens were 'allowed' to do. So he posed a small question.

"Do your own thing? Such as?"

"Oh I dunno," Jemima whined, "I just wish Jenny would let me go off and do my own thing like Victoria does."

"But Jemima," Alonzo started.

"Don't get me wrong," Jemima rolled her eyes, "And don't tell me, Vicki's a adult so now she can go and do as she likes." Jemima half mimicked Jenny's bossing voice.

"Pretty much so." Alonzo couldn't do anything but agree. "And Jenny only wants what's best for you."

Jemima looked frustrated and turned away. "It's not fair," she complained, muttering, as Alonzo got up to leave again. "She isnt my mother."

She didnt hear Alonzo mutter also as he walked away. "Oh yes she is Jemima...yes she is..."

* * *

Tugger was still lying in his den, wide awake. He was thinking over what had happened with Cassandra and Bombalurina, and sighed. There were so many gorgeous females in the yard and in the surrounding area of London, but very few he really cared about.

"Of course," he mumbled aloud, "I like Bom, who doesnt, but Cassy..." he frowned. "Maybe...just maybe...I think I..." He trailed off, refusing to say the word, and rolled off the bed, making his way to the entrance of the den, and out into the sunlight.

He grinned at the kittens playing and decided there was something that would make him feel a hell of a lot better. Thwapping his mane, he strode over like the macho tom he was and appeared behind the group of playing kittens.

Before he could say a word, a shriek of "Tuggy!" was heard and Etcetera was clinging in a matter of seconds to his leg. "Tuggy play." She giggled, still hugging his leg, despite Tugger's best attempts to shake the kitten off.

"Babe, please..." Tugger muttered, and most unfortunately Etcetera heard. "Did you hear that guys? I'm Tugger's babe!"

"Oh give over, Cet. That's so babyish," came a voice. Jemima had pricked up at the sight of the maned tom appearing, and now with a frown on her face she addressed the striped kitten attached to Tugger. "Don't you wanna grow up and quit acting up Cettie?" She got up, stretching and yawning, ignoring the other kittens staring at her.

"Jemima?" Electra's confused voice wafted to Jemima's ears. "What's with you today?"

Jemima turned to glare at the orangey-black kitten. "Maybe I'm just sick of you lot acting like idiots and babies!" She yelled. "Sick of it all." She turned and ran off, tears streaming down her face, feeling unwanted and awkward.

Tugger stared after the red-black queen too, then shrugged in his don't-carish way. "Hmm. Oh well..." He turned back to the others, looking at Cettie on his leg still and grinned. "So, someone pass the ball and let's play."

Pouncival cheered from across the way and tossed the ball to Tugger. Hitting him smack on the nose. "Oops." Pouncival hid his face in his paws then peeped out from behind it. "Sorry about that."

Tugger grinned, "Don't worry about it Pounce," in a deep voice, "Here ya go, sweetie." He handed the ball to Etcetera, who took it and dashed off giggling, Electra and Pounce following her squealing. Tugger rubbed his sore nose. Some day this was turning out to be.

* * *

Bomba curled up in her cavelet still, was now awake, and had moved herself to the bed, when a black and red blur shot into the cave sobbing. For a moment Bomba thought she was experiencing deja vu, then realised it was Jemima.

"Jemi?" Bomba uncurled and sat up. "Jemi is that you? Hun are you okay?"

Jemima didn't answer, so with a sigh Bomba hopped up and padded closer, reaching to touch Jemima's shoulder. "Look, hun, erm...listen I'm not good at this sort of thing so...erm...you'll hav to tell me what's going on here.."

"It's NOT fair!" Jemima yelled out suddenly, "Vicki gets to do WHATEVER she darn well wants and I have to behave like a stupid kitten!" She muttered and burst into a fresh flood of tears.

Bomba blinked. "Uh, Jemi, hun...listen for a second..." she sat down and tilted the kitten's face up so she was forced to look into her eyes.

"Look, bawling about it isn't going to help. By behaving like this, you're...you're acting like a kitten, dontcha see?" She grinned, "You're enforcing the point that since you are a kitten and throw a temper, you deserve to be treated like one. Getting my drift here kit?" She dabbed at the tears rolling down Jemima's face, to see a flicker of recognition pass over Jemima's face.

"Oh yeah..." Jemima began uncomfortably. "I see your point there Bom...I guess...um...wow..." she giggled suddenly. "But I feel so...so..."

"Left out?" Bomba questioned. "Happens to the best of us." She gave Jemima a nudge, "Look, why dont you go play with the other kittens, go and frolic around Tugger, go and have fun. You're only a kitten for so long, and then you grow into a adult...it happens fast Jem hun..."

Jemima giggled faintly. "Yeah...I suppose. Bom?" "Yeah?"

"When I grow up," Jemima hopped to her feet, "I wanna be just like you!" She dashed off out of the den and Bomba could hear her yelling to the other kittens in the distance.

Bomba sighed. "What, you wanna be a hypocrite just like me?" she wondered aloud.

* * *

Tugger was still playing ball with the kittens when Jemima reappeared. She pounced the ball, grabbing it, and tossed it into the air instantly with a shriek of a giggle, and the others stared.

"Jemima?" Etcetera looked at her. "Have you been raiding Jenny's larder for the catnip?"

Jemima gave another silly giggle, "Nope."

Electra tilted her head, "Jemima's had a knock on the head, I bet."

"Nope," Jemima rolled over.

"You talked to someone and they told you their problems were worse?" Pouncival lay down next to Jemima and sniffed her.

Jemima squealed and batted Pounce, "Not exactly." She grinned, "Though I did talk to someone."

Pouncival tried to make a grab at the ball Jemima held, and Jemima raised it out of his reach, letting it go. The ball flew up and whacked Tugger in the stomach.

"OW!" Tugger doubled over. "I was minding my own business! And you whack me in the stomach, honestly..." He leaned down and poked Jemima, "There, that makes us even." He grinned.

"Hey no poking us kittens!" Jemima hopped up and made a grab for Tugger, yanking his arm behind his back, "Hey you guys help me, then we can tickle him!"

"Oi, Jemima, no," Tugger protested, "I've had enough play today...I've been whacked twice in the face, once in the stomach and fallen over countless times in this ball game, and I refuse...haha...eee...refu...hahah..." he cut off abruptly as three of the kittens pinned Tugger's arms behind his back, and Etcetera tickled him mercilessly. Shrieks of laughter and whines of protest could be heard all over the junkyard.

* * *

Bomba stuck her head out of her cavelet at the yells of laughter and grinned at seeing Jemima now so apparantly full of spirit. She came right out into the sunlight, squinting, and sat down on all fours, curling her tail around her. She watched the kittens with Tugger, tickling him half to death, and smiled a wry smile. Tugger...

She went into her thoughts again, remembering her fling with Tugger only hours ago. It felt like days since to her though. She continued to watch, not noticing Alonzo sneaking up.

"Bom?" He tapped her on the shoulder and she jumped, turning to face him. "Oh Alonzo. It's just you."

Alonzo nodded and bowed his head to her, "Sorry if I scared you. And also," he looked back up, "Sorry about earlier."

"Earlier?" Bomba queried.

"Yeah...uh...you kinda, yelled at me. So erm, yeah. Sorry about that too."

Bomba blinked. "Um, Alonzo. I think you're going to have to help me out here 'cos I dont remember a thing of that."

"You were crying in your den earlier, and I came in to see if you were okay and you yelled at me to get out." Alonzo looked hurt, and Bomba swallowed.

"Oh, yeah...that...it was nothing. I'm over it. And you dont need to apologise." She patted his shoulder and noticed his cheeks flush red.

"Oh...yeah...well...okay..." he started uncertainly, and Bomba sighed.

"Look, sit here with me a while, okay? I could use the company. Also I need someone to talk to about how stupid Tugger looks." She pointed at the tom being tickled and pinned by the kittens.

Alonzo stared at her for a second. "Uh...sure..." He sat down on all fours, his eyes flicking from Bomba, to the scene below, and back to Bomba.

Clearing his throat, he racked his brain for something to say. "So...heh, are you okay?"

"Oh, fine thanks." Bomba groomed her paw.

"Good..." Alonzo watched her. Why on earth did he feel so shaky? He briefly wondered if his cheeks had turned as red as her fur. He cleared his throat and settled himself, his tail swishing nervously. "Uh. Bom...?"

"Yes?"

"If you don't mind me asking...uhm...is there...uhm...something on your mind?"

"Something on my mind? Why?" Bomba looked directly at him, and Alonzo tensed, shaking his head.

"Well, you're uh...staring at Tugger...and uh...you wanna...uhm, talk about how stupid he is."

Bomba stared at Alonzo. He wasnt normally so forward and that scared her. He was asking her to pretty much tell him what was going on. She turned her face away slightly, "Uhm, well...it's...it's nothing."

"Are you sure?"

Bomba's head snapped back round. "Of course I'm sure, damnit!"

Alonzo's body tensed further, and he slid back a little. Staring nervously at the red queen, who muttered and turned away from him again.

Without another word, and when he was sure she wouldnt notice, he got up, and slipped off.

* * *

So it was to be when Bomba regained her composure and turned to apologise, realised the black and white tom was nowhere to be seen! She looked all around, finally spotting something slipping into the shadows of the junkyard, and leaving through the entrance to the river.

She got up to go after him, and stopped in her tracks. She had been about to go after him, and apologise. But why? Alonzo had never shown a romantic interest in her. But Tugger had.

She sat back down, and a new thought came into her mind. "Tugger might want me, but he used me for the sake of using me. Alonzo...never laid a paw on me...and I yelled at him...twice." She winced, feeling guilty. "And what do I want more? Someone who will listen to me, or someone who'll brush me aside whenever it suits him?"

She thought a little more. "And which tom fits which description...?"

Suddenly the whole thing showed itself in a new light. Alonzo, coming after her to make sure she was okay after the encounter with Tugger. Not caring what had happened, just wanting the best for her. And she'd pushed him aside. Frightened he'd see how weak she was. And then just now, coming to apologise for making her mad, wanting her to be happy, to be calm. Everything he ever wanted...was for her.

By comparision, Tugger had taken what he wanted, and discarded her like a piece of junk. He didn't really want her. He was filling in for Cassi.

Alonzo...did Alonzo want her? The thought went through Bomba's mind, and she was amazed at it. The loneliness slipped away, a huge weight being dragged from her shoulders.

She got back up, and with a final little look at Tugger, she leapt down the junkpiles, and half ran, half walked to the entrance of the yard, following Alonzo's tracks.

* * *

"Would you guys get off me!" The yell sounded clear across the junkyard, and the kittens giggled in chorus. Etcetera sat on the now fallen Tugger, bouncing on his chest, and Pouncival had taken the scarf from around Tugger's leg, and tied his wrists behind his back. Jemima patted Tugger's head, and licked his nose.

"EWWWWWWWWWWW!" Tugger wriggled, "Quit that, would you!"

"Quit what? Electra bounded up, and licked Tugger's nose as well.

"NO!" Tugger yelled, and was rewarded by Etcetera licking him too.

"Geez..." Tugger rolled his eyes, then felt something tickling him. While the females had Tugger distracted, Pouncival had hopped onto Tugger and was tickling his stomach. Because of Etcetera on top of the maned tom, Tugger was now pinned and couldnt resist the tickling, though he squirmed to avoid it.

"POUNCE! When I get my hands on you," Tugger began, and Jemima patted him again.

"There there Tuggy. He wont be long."

"He most certainly wont." Jennyanydots materialised from the junkpiles, and lifted Pouncival off Tugger, smacking his butt and sending the young tom off squealing. She efficiently shooed Etcetera and Electra off to their dens and they did so, a little in awe of the marmalade coloured queen.

Untying Tugger's wrists, she treated him like a small kitten too, shooing him.

"Aw Jen." Tugger began, but Jenny wrinkled her brow and Tugger shrugged, thwapping his mane and sauntered off. "I guess I'll get the kittens for that later," he commented as he went, but Jenny ignored him, picking up Jemima and carting her off.

"Hey! Jenny! Put me down!"

Jemima protested. "Not till I'm good and ready," Jenny replied, and took Jemima into her den. "There's something you and I need to talk about." Her voice was firm, but not stern, as the two disappeared out of sight, the junkyard the perfect area of peace and quiet at last.

* * *

Alonzo, meanwhile, had made it to the riverbank, and sat down by it, dipping a paw lazily into the water. He sighed, laying his head on his paws, and stared into the water for a moment. Where had he gone wrong? He tried so hard to make Bombalurina like him, and at every chance she pushed him aside. For Tugger, no less.

Alonzo snorted quietly, typical queen. Going after the one who thought he was the Everlasting Cats Gift to Queens. "I have no chance. Not with her."

He glared at the water, and then his glare turned into a stare, at something in the ripples of the water. Something red moving around behind him. Then a face appeared, and Alonzo closed his eyes, then reopened them. But the image remained, floating on the water, and Alonzo turned his head.

Behind him and slightly to the side, stood Bombalurina, with a shy smile on her mouth.

"Hi." she purred softly. Alonzo stared for a moment, finally registering what she said.

"Oh...hey..."

She padded closer, and laid down beside him, right up close, and Alonzo gulped.

"Bom? Uhm...what are you...?" He began, but she interrupted.

"Doing? Well...I've come down here to apologise."

"To me? Why?"

"Well, why not?" She raised her head a little more, and stared him down.

"Uh..."

"I'll tell you why." Her paw traced his arm and Alonzo's cheeks flamed red. "I'd rather be with someone who cares for me."

"But Tugger..." Alonzo began, but she shushed him, placing a paw over his mouth.

"Tugger doesn't care for me the way I want him to. He doesn't care the way you do."

Alonzo's mouth dropped open, and he tried to speak, but no words came out.

"I like my strong silent types," Bomba teased, her tail grabbing at his, and winding around it. Alonzo closed his mouth, and looked away, to feel her snuggle into his side. He turned back and looked down, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, and licked gently over her headfur, grooming her ears, his heart pounding in his chest.

"So erm...Bom...what does this mean?"

"Whatever you want it to mean." Bomba raised her head, and brought his face close to hers with a paw. "And I know what I want it to mean." She licked over his mouth tenderly, and purred at him.

Alonzo's face changed as she looked at him. "Uh...uh..." he began.

Bomba pulled back. "Why...what's the matter?" Hurt showed in her eyes, and Alonzo leaned forward, licking her cheek. Bomba flushed red.

Alonzo grinned impishly. "Gotcha!" He grabbed her and pulled her close, purring in her ear, his mouth delicately tracing hers in a soft kiss.

Bmba nearly fainted at this point, her arms sliding around his neck and her mouth pressed gently back to his. "Alonzo..." she murmured, her heart alight with passion. "I knew it...I knew it ever since..."

Alonzo broke the kiss with a grin. "Since?" He queried.

"Since the ball last year. You were dancing with Cassi, but I know you really wanted me...it was that look, the way you...everything.." Bomba finished softly, her paw tracing his cheek.

"Aw, made it that obvious, did I?" Alonzo teased, snuggling her close.

Bomba nodded, her paw slipping to his chest, and massaging it. She heard him give a soft moan, and giggled, "Sorry." She removed her paw.

"You will be," Alonzo poked her tummy, and Bomba shrieked.

"I will be? You mean YOU will!" She pounced him, laying him flat on his back, and tickled him unmercifully. They were so busy engaging in their frolicking, neither noticed a silver blur whisk up until it was too late.

"Boo!"

Bomba shrieked and fell off Alonzo in fright, who hauled himself to a upright stance. They stared angrily at Munkustrap, who was by this point laughing. A gentle giggle of a queen sounded as well, and Demeter came out to Munk's side. He gently wrapped a arm around the young black and gold queen, and purred in her ear, to which she gave another giggle.

Bomba looked at Demeter, and smiled gently. She remembered the hell she'd been through to get her this far. And now there she was, in the arms of the future leader, and to become first queen. Bomba grinned, hopping up, and hauled Alonzo with her.

"We were just..." she began, but Demeter cut her off.

"It's kay Bom. We know what you were doing." She nudged Munk, who grinned down at her, licking her affectionately.

"But it wasnt..." Alonzo began, and Munk grinned broader.

"Sure."

"IT WASNT!" Alonzo and Bomba yelled together, and looked at each other embarrassed. Munkustrap and Demeter began to laugh again.

"Sureeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Demeter grinned, and poked Alonzo.

"Hey!" Alonzo poked Demeter. Munkustrap poked Alonzo.

"Oi. Now quit poking her."

Bomba bit her lip, trying to keep from laughing at the sexual pun, and failed, a half giggle, half whimper escaping her lips. Demeter looked at Bomba.

"Oh enough already!" She smiled good humouredly, as the toms started to walk off. Then she crept closer to Bomba, and licked her cheek.

Bomba smiled again at Demeter, and licked back. "What's got you in such a good mood?" She asked curiously.

Demeter blushed. "Me and Munk...urm...spent some..." she lowered her voice.."private time together.." she giggled. "We laid in the shadows of the trees down by the old brook where it's quiet and we...yeah..." she blushed even brighter, before looking back up. "You should take Alonzo there sometime."

Bomba grinned, beginning to follow the two toms walking off, "Glad you had fun." She paused then added. "Me and Alonzo...well...all in good time."

Demeter stared. "Bom, what HAS come over you?"

Bomba shrugged. "Dunno. Something white and black and cute." She glanced at Demeter. And they both laughed, rejoining Alonzo and Munkustrap, who were waiting a little way ahead for them.

* * *

They were still laughing and talking between the four of them, as they entered the junkyard. Even though it was becoming late now, it wasnt too difficult to spot the red and black blur racing, crying it's eyes out, towards them.

Alonzo fell over as it knocked him down, and lay there on his side with a whimper. "Ow." Bomba grinned and helped him up, looking to Munkustrap. "I wonder what's been going.." she began, when Jennyanydots ran out to them, crying as well.

"Munkustrap!" She sobbed, "Did anyone see my little precious Jemima go by?"

Everyone stopped and looked at the entrance where the blur had gone. Jennyanydots gave a shriek, and started towards the gate, but Munkustrap stopped her. "What's all this about, Jenny?"

He looked at Bombalurina and Demeter. "Why dont you three go back to Jenny's den. Me and Alonzo will go and look for Jemima. She cant be far."

With a grin, he leaned over, licking Demeter on the cheek. Alonzo did the same with Bomba, and nuzzled her, turning to follow Munkustrap, looking back briefly to wink at the red queen.

Demeter went to Jenny, and wrapped a arm over her shoulder, then started to guide the older queen into her den slowly. Bomba took one look after the departing toms, and then started to move into the den as well.


	5. Jenny's Secret  part 1

**Five**

Jennyanydots was still hysterical as Demeter guided her into her den. Looking back over her shoulder, the black and gold queen spoke to Bombalurina.

"Bom, make yourself useful and get Jenny something to drink. Looks like it's going to be a long night."

Bombalurina nodded, and padded quickly to the kitchen area of Jenny's hut. She located cups and the tealeaves in a jar on the shelf on the wall. The teapot, milk and sugar she found on the counter. She busied herself with boiling the tea, making it as slow as possible, so as to try and keep out of Jenny's way and let her deal with whatever grief she was holding.

Meanwhile Demeter had sat Jenny down in a big soft armchair. "Jenny?" She took a tissue from a box that was on a nearby table, and handed it to the Gumbie cat, who blew her nose loudly and settled back, weeping, with tears still staining her face.

"I'll be fine," she sobbed, waving a hand dismissively before Demeter could even ask her the question.

Bombalurina brought over the tea she'd made, handing it to the distraught older queen, who took a sip, grimaced at the heat, and blew her nose, which was rapidly beginning to look as if she'd put dark red lipstick on it.

"Are you sure?" Bomba's words had hardly even been out of her mouth two minutes before Jenny burst into a fresh flood of tears.

"Nice one Bom." Demeter rolled her eyes and looked away.

"What? I'm only trying to be helpful." Bomba pointed out.

"Oh yeah, sure, she's a gibbering wreck."

"Oh be quiet, the pair of you." That was from Jenny, who was suddenly alert, ears pricked. "You remind me so much of...of..."

"Of who?" Demeter pressed gently, trying to wrangle some sort of explanation.

"Of my precious little Jemima when she...she was little...and we argued, and...and...oh it's all one big mess, oh how will I ever explain to the Everlasting Cat?" Jenny wept into the tissue, soaking it with yet more fresh tears.

"So you argued when she was little? Big deal, kits are rebellious." Bomba sighed and folded her arms, sitting on the arm of the chair. She ignored Demeter's glare that said, "Tactful," and inspected her nails instead.

"Didn't we ever fight when I was little?"

Bomba's ears pricked, and she looked at Demeter, her ears then lowering again. Jenny wasn't paying any attention, still thoroughly soaking her tissue in tears, so she just shrugged and said nothing more. Demeter bent down to Jenny's side, patting the older queen's arm.

"Jenny, did you and Jemima fight tonight? About when she was little?"

Jenny howled louder in response. Demeter sighed. "Cmon Jen. Maybe we can help."

"Like you can c..c...change the p...p...past..." sobbed Jenny.

"Believe me, if I could, I'd do away with Ma..." Bombalurina began, glanced at Demeter, and bit her lip. "Well, you know." She grinned at Demeter, who simply glared.

"Have you got anything else to say that's actually useful, Bom?" Bomba's eyes widened, and Demeter nodded.

"Good." She turned back to Jenny and spoke softly again to her. "Jenny, what's been going on? Why is the past so important. You should be living for the minute, not...thinking back to what could have been."

Now it was Demeter's turn to bite her lip. "Yeah, I really practise what I preach," she thought. She was so busy thinking she missed what Jenny was saying.

"...and she's always been such a good kitten, and I know what I said probably shocked her, and I was a bit mean about him, but I was only telling her the truth, she had to know one day and I thought maybe if I told her now, she might be over it sooner, and then I wont feel so guilty. That was probably part of the reason Old Deuteronomy refused me permission for...to be Heaviside Layer bound..." she threw up her paws and opened her mouth to continue, but Bombalurina put a paw on her arm.

"Jenny. Jenny. Slow down and go back a bit. "What shocked Jemima? What were you fighting about?"

Jenny turned big sad eyes on Bombalurina, and murmured something, shaking her head.

"Well at least tell us why you referred to the past," Demeter prodded gently.

This time Jenny just sighed, sipping the mug of hot tea, and sat back. She regarded both queens with a equal but firm stare. "No one knows. But I think it's maybe about time you did." She gave another sigh, cupping her paws around the mug, and began her story...

* * *

The orange marmalade queen strolled around the corner from her house and started down the main street. She was excited. This was to be the first outing she'd made from her new house. All the time she'd been alive so far she'd either done the journey in the company of her mother, or else she hadn't ventured out. Simple as that.

As she walked, she thought about her life, and it's direction. Mother had been clear about one thing. She was a Jellicle cat, therefore bound by a tribe's laws, of which would be explained to her when she first ventured into the junkyard. So far, little Jennyanydots hadn't had to go to the yard. She'd been in the care of her mother and their owners. She smiled to herself. She was lucky to be with mother. Her two sisters and her brother had been sold or given away to other families, two of which had now moved away, and she doubted she'd ever see any of them again.

And now she was a bit older, she was finally getting to do her own thing. Now she was also coming of age, maybe she might even be inducted into the Tribe like Mother had always told her would happen. Maybe one day she would go find the yard herself, get inducted, and then she could spend the rest of her days feeling protected and...

What else she was about to think was interrupted by her bumping into a small Peke dog - a nasty little chihuahua who yapped at her and tried to claw her. With a squeal and a hiss, Jenny sprang aside and tried to get around the little dog, but it barked noisily, and since it wasnt on a lead, ran at her. Jenny hissed again, but didnt have time to unleash her claws, so instead, whimpering, she made a run for it instead, the dog chasing her every step of the way.

She didn't know how long she ran for, where she ran, not even which streets she followed. All she knew was that it was getting darker with every step, the dog was still behind her, and she was exhausted. As she ran down a street she noticed an alleyway and darted into it, hoping to lose the dog and get out on the other end of the alley...but as she turned the corner she saw the alley was blocked at the other end. _"Okay, I'm frightened now_." She ran down the end of the alley, hoping to hide in the shadows, but the light from the streetlamp just across the road gave her no protection and no shadows. Instead it's light beamed into the alley, so she was like a rabbit in headlights as the dog followed into the alleyway, it's teeth bared in a nasty snarl.

Jenny's eyes grew wide. Her breathing became laboured. She backed up against the wall, waiting for the dog to spring and tear her apart, waited to die...

But nothing happened..


	6. Jenny's Secret  part 2

**Six**

The little dog's attention had been caught by the lion maned, swaggering cat coming towards it from the back of the alleyway. In fact it slipped right past Jennyanydots without so much as a nod in her direction.

"So, Creampuff," smirked the cat, "What are you doing out so late? Past your bedtime, isn't it?"

"Careful, Jellicle. I've killed for less than that," barked the little dog, and the cat laughed and then pounced at the dog.

"Boo!"

The little dog squealed and jumped back.

"Go on, keep going," the cat hissed, "Killed, my Heaviside Layer. Such a scaredy-pollicle,"

The little dog growled, and then whimpered as the lion maned cat took a swipe at it.

"I'll show you, Jellicle. I'll tell Macavity you took fresh meat from him, and I bet you he wont be pleased."

"Like Macavity is really going to attack me on my own," chortled the cat. "He'd have to get past Munkustrap, and that would take some doing."

"Well we'll just see, wont we," growled the Chihuahua, before retreating into the night.

Jenny, from her position by the wall, settled on seeing the dog turn tail. "Wow, how can I ever thank you," she whispered to the lion maned cat, who was coming back over in her direction.

"There may be a way, one year," laughed the cat, "but for now, I have to get back to who...I mean, what I was doing." He grinned at little Jenny and tickled her under the chin. "Later, toots," she watched him slink into the darkness.

* * *

The incident, however, badly shook Jennyanydots from leaving the house again, as much as she wished to make the acquaintance of other Jellicles. Her mother tried to persuade her, but after many failed attempts to get Jennyanydots to swap the junkpiles of the Jellicle yard for the training she undertook with the mice and beetles in her home, she gave up.

It was to be, that when her mother died at the grand age of 10, Jenny was approaching 4 years old herself, and felt that finally, with no one around to support or love her like her mother could – even though her humans were very good to her - she should make her own way in the world at long last.

* * *

So one night, she slipped out into the shadows, and walked towards the junkyard. She knew the way, she had memorised the directions her mother had tried to give her over the yeards that had gone before. Jennyanydots had listened to every sentence; every word; every syllable, despite her poor aging mother thinking the kitten had been paying no attention whatsoever.

Eventually she found the junkyard, and she slipped inside. She started to look around for someone who could point her in the right direction for inductees, as the place was very badly signposted, she thought.

After a moment or two a young queen approached her, all tan and brown, and very slender. "May I help?" She purred in a rich voice that could have been mistaken for a chocolate waterfall.

"Ah finally. Reception." Jenny smiled, and the cat in front of her frowned.

"No. Not reception, I'm afraid. Cassandra at your service."

"Oh!" Jenny exclaimed, "I do apologise for the mix up. I'm here to get inducted?"

The brown queen looked her up and down with a haughty expression on her face. "Reaaaaally?" She mused out loud. "Arent you a little...old?" She said bluntly, and Jenny was shocked.

"How dare you," she began, when someone came up behind the slender female in front of her and purred. "Cassandra, there you are, I was wondering where you had go-"

The tomcat in front of Jennyanydots smiled at her. "Well, who do we have here. If it's not Little Miss Chased By Creampuff." He chuckled throatily, "Where have you been all my life, doll?"

"Hiding?" Jennyanydots retorted sternly, which caused the lion maned cat to laugh even louder.

"Hiding...haha, thats a good one, you nearly had me at that." He paused and slunk over to her, whispering in her ear, "And I can have you, anytime I want, remember that, toots. I'm not confined to the sleekness of Cassandra, don't you worry...I have many talents..." he glanced across at Cassandra, who glared at him.

"What are you whispering to this orange fluffball, Tugger?"

"Just advising her on the ways of the junkyard. You know the drill Cassandra. Maybe you should try being a bit more welcoming," He flounced off into the shadows, and Cassandra grumbled.

"Great. Now look what you've done," she moaned to Jennyanydots, making to follow 'Tugger' into the darkness. Jenny turned to look after her, "What?"

"Do you know how incredibly rare it is for Tugger to come out of hiding? Well I'll tell you. VERY rare." Cassndra huffed, and disappeared, leaving Jennyanydots to stare after her, and wonder exactly what Tugger's words to her meant.

* * *

"So what happened?" Demeter asked, as Jenny took a sip of her drink, which she had been cradling on her lap for ages. She glanced across at Bombalurina, who was still, after all this time, still looking at her nails.

"Well." Jennyanydots sighed. "It turned out Tugger was insistent on mating with me. He was the one to induct me at that year's Jellicle Ball."

Bombularina's head shot up. "So Tugger is...?" She looked at Demeter, who blinked in surprise as well.

"Jemima's father? No!" Jenny shook her head vehemently. "She belongs to the bloodline of her real father."

"Who's the father, Jenny?" Bombalurina pressed hastily. She knew gossip when she heard it, but Jenny merely shook her head again.

"I don't know. Tugger abandoned me after the Jellicle Ball, having done his tomly duty," the orange queen laughed harshly. "I was pretty much alone after that, and I met this wonderful tom through a mutual feline friend one day. I am not going to divulge his name. He was my first and only true love, and I owe it to him not to make him the subject of scandalous gossip." She stared Bombularina down, and looked across at Demeter. "That tom...the one I lost years ago, he is Jemima's real father. She never knew him."

"I see." Demeter said thoughtfully. "So why not bring her up as your daughter. Why bring her up with the other kittens and pretend she was one of a big litter?"

Jenny smiled. "Jemima needed the playmates I didn't have. I wanted so much more for her." She took another sip of her drink, and added. "I'm afraid the way I wanted it to play out in my head was much more different to real life..." she trailed off as a shadow swept across the cavelet entrance, and all three queens looked up.

Into the cavelet came a unusual shadow, but as it got nearer to the light they saw it was Tugger, carrying a protesting Jemima by the scruff of her neck. "I believe you are looking for this?" He queried, and dropped the red and black queen neatly into Jenny's lap.

A look passed between Jenny and Tugger that neither Bombalurina nor Demeter understood, as the lion maned cat turned and swaggered out. They did not pay much attention to him leaving. Bomba had Alonzo on her mind; Demeter had Munkustrap on hers.

"I think," Demeter purred, slipping down off her seat, "We should leave you and Jemma to get better acquainted than what you really are, Jenny," she motioned to Bombalurina and gazed at Jenny, who was by now stroking Jemima's headfur. Jemima was still protesting, but her protests weakened as Jenny shushed and lulled her kitten.

She merely nodded to Demeter and Bombalurina, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Thank you," she uttered, as they slipped away, leaving mother and kitten to resolve their troubles, and have a long, long overdue heart to heart.


	7. Kitten Dating

**Seven**

_-Prologue-_

"It's so boring around here!" Jemima declared listlessly.

She, along with Victoria and Etcetera, were up on the junkpile in the hot weather, trying to keep cool. And besides, it was Tugger's favourite hang out spot. But as yet, he hadn't materalised.

The only ones visible to the three kittens were Jellylorum and Munkustrap, who were deep in converse, way over on the other side of the yard.

Then Electra wandered into view. She looked miserable as she climbed up towards the other three. The other kittens didn't take too much notice of her initially, as she was always quiet.

Today, Victoria (the most perceptive of the three) noticed Electra had a face like thunder.

"What's the matter Eleccy?" she whispered her sister's name.

Electra stared straight ahead. "Jellylorum...mommy.."

Victoria was confused. "But she's always been your mommy."

"But Skimbleshanks will always be your daddy!" Electra wailed. "He'll never be mine again!"

"Wha? Electra?" Victoria, Jemima, and Etcetera gathered round the wailing kitten.

"Who's your Daddy?" Etcetera pressed. She'd found out the hard way about her mom and dad, but she wasn't about to let this piece of gossip slip! [Author: If you want to know about Etcy's past, read Rumpled...]

"Come on Electra. Spill!" urged Jemima.

"It's...it's..." Electra could hardly believe it herself. "It's Munkustrap," she finally forced herself to say the words.

The others were flabbergasted - "NO!"

"Wow," Vicki commented, "Jellylorum and Munkustrap. Who'd have thought it?"

Jemima grinned. "Electra, your dad is Munkustrap and you're MISERABLE?"

"Yeah," agreed Etcetera. "What's not to like?"

Victoria didnt say anything. Secretly she'd loved having Electra as a sister. But Electra seemed to have suddenly brightened.

"Munk's after Demeter now," she whispered, a smile spreading over her face. "I'd love to be related to her. And everyone knows he went with Bomba too once.."

"So?" Vicki asked tersely.

"Well...nothing really, but I guess...nah...you wouldn't be interested..."

"TELL US ELECTRA!" The other kittens yelled.

"Okay!" Electra covered her ears for a second. "What I was going to say was, if the toms can go with the queens they want to, why can't we queens go with the toms?"

"I dont see why not," Jemima giggled. "Bomba goes with most of them!" They all laughed.

"Not all of the toms though?" Etcetera wondered about Alonzo. b[Author: look, just read Rumpled, okay?]/b

"No!" Electra was quick to clear up confusion. "We pick the four best, most eligible toms, and then we date all four of them!"

"Oooh! Fun!" giggled Etcetera.

"So who's it going to be?" Electra let the others pick first.

"TUGGER!" Etcetera bounced about laughing.

"No way! Munkustrap's much cuter!" Victoria argued.

"No, he's my dad, cant date him!" laughed Electra.

"Alonzo?" Jemima asked.

Etcetera giggled again. "He's my Dad!" b[Author: Haven't you read Rumpled yet?]/b

"Why not choose four younger toms?" Electra asked.

"What, like Misto?" Victoria screwed up her nose.

"Yeah. And Pouncival!" Jem giggled.

"Tumblebrutus!" Etcetera called out.

"And..." Electra got a bit stuck. "...Plato!"

* * *

Etcetera sat on the junkpiles. She wondered where Pouncival was. It was way past their meeting time, she was sure.

The dates had been arranged in a kind of sequence. The kittens had run to Demeter straight after their converse on the junkpile and had BEGGED her to help them set up the dates. They knew they could trust her to keep it secret, and she was close in age to all four of them.

And surprisely, Demeter had agreed, going to visit Misto, Tumble, and Pouncival, and finally Plato when she eventually found him.

Tonight Etcetera waited, and waited, and waited. She was a bouncy little thing really, she thought, and who wouldnt want to have her as a mate?

She looked herself over and groomed her white-brown fur gently, not wanting to overdo it and end up like an angora. Secretly she was jealous of Vicki, who ALWAYS groomed, and was always vain, even though she claimed not to be.

She, little Etcetera, was still the youngest of the four, and she had a lot to learn. Boisterous and friendly, with a eye for fun, she was also quite gentle unless provoked - if provoked nastily, she could hiss and spit as well as the next cat, and if provoked to play, she would always pounce on the nearest cat and ruffle their fur, something she loved doing as the other cats always hated her for it!

Pouncival crept up on her from behind anyway, and Etcetera jumped when he thrust a flower in front of her nose from behind her left shoulder.

She took it, smiling. Pouncival always had a trick up his sleeve. Always. And tonight, as she took that flower, she noticed a string attached to it. She smiled a little broader.

"Thanks Pounce," she said, and tugged the string. The string jerked from Pounce's paw as he looked on in surprise.

Etcetera grabbed the water filled bulb on the end, aimed it at Pounce, and squeezed HARD!

A terrified soaking wet Pouncival charged off! Etcetera followed him, squeezing the water all over him and shrieking with laughter.

Suffice to say they certainly steered clear of each other in the future - especially if water was involved...

* * *

Victoria's first date, (two days after Etcetera's date with Pouncival) didnt last long. She knew he thought of her as smug little Victoria and her white coat of fur and this made her shudder.

She was a bit of a prude recently, primping and washing all the time, not caring what the other cats thought of her. In fact recently, Munkustrap had been telling her that Jellicle Cats washed alright, but they didnt overdo it. She took some notice for a while, then Tugger had splashed her with mud while playing ball and she'd been furious with him.

And now, she saw Tumble coming, and shuddered again.

"Hey Vicki!" He yelled across to her, and she nearly retched at the shortening of the name.

"It's Victoria," she said quietly, but he obviously chose to ignore her.

"Vicki, can you do this?"

"What's that?" She eyed him.

"A tumble."

"What?" She glanced at his fur. It was streaked with mud. And she sighed because she knew Old Deuteronomy disapproved of the kittens in the mud...

"A tumble. Like this. In the mud!" Tumble flipped up onto his front paws and landed quickly back down on all fours. She wasnt having any of that!

So when Tumble landed, Victoria had completely vanished.

* * *

On Jemima's first date the big bright Jellicle Moon was shining clear in the black-blue night sky. Her date for tonight was Plato, and she thought maybe it would be slightly romantic.

Jemima was a fussy little thing about toms. And her dates. Her date was the day after Victoria's date with Tumble, and from what she'd seen sitting up here last night looking at the moon, it hadnt been romantic.

Jemima's glossy red-brown fur shimmered in the light, giving off a effect much like a glow, almost as if she was electric, but of course it was just the moonlight.

She wondered if Plato would bring her a present to make the date complete. Jemima loved presents...

Well, Jemima was right. Plato was bringing her a present. But she wasnt aware of was that Rumpleteazer, now a part time 'agent' of Macavity's, had just robbed a florists downtown of its finest red poppies and that Plato had taken them to give to her!

Eventually Plato came along with the masses of red flowers, bowed and handed them to Jemima. She thanked him, and the Jellicle Moon shone down on her. It was romantic up until the point when she realised the red of the poppies clashed with the white of the moon, and this saddened her a little. Then Plato put his arm around her shoulders and she wriggled away. What was he up to?

"Come on Jem. Gissa kiss." He drawled. So much for romantic.

"I'm sorry Plato. But I dont want to kiss you. And besides," she thrust the flowers back at him, "not only do these flowers clash with the moon, but they're also a symbol of death."

And with that Jemima hopped down from the junkpiles, and ran off to the other side of the junkyard, to watch the moon alone.

* * *

Electra shivered. She was cold because of the early night breeze that ruffled her fur, but she was hoping her and Misto could go someplace warmer.

When he arrived that is.

She had a thinner coat that the other Jellicles, and she didnt know why. She was also always the quiet one, except when Etcetera wasnt there, and then her personality started to come out. She was the oldest of the four kittens now, and she was still recovering from her shock discovery of who her real father was...and still couldn't believe it!

Misto, her date, was two days after Jemima's date with Plato. He was a long time coming, and when he finally did arrive, he was running and was out of breath.

"Sorry I'm late. I got chased by a Pollicle bringing you this." To Electra he handed a small copper circle.

"What on earth am I going to use this for?" Electra asked, taking it. Mistoffelees had certainly freaked her out.

"Well, what do you want most right now?"

Electra thought about it. "Warmth."

"Warmth?"

"Yeah...I'm cold..."

"Well...okay..." Misto wrinkled his nose, waved his paws and the little copper circle attached itself to Electra's heart area. Suddenly she was feeling very warm. Too warm...

"Misto!" She squealed! "Take it off!"

"Whoa!" Misto jumped into action as the copper circle caught fire. Electra's fur let off a little smoke as he batted the fire out and the copper circle fell to the floor.

"I guess I made the spell a bit too violent. Sorry."

Electra ran off and hid in a pipe. She wasnt going near him and his magic again!

* * *

Jemima sat, waiting for her second date, Pouncival. She'd actually spied him approaching but was too busy looking for the moon again. But now, here he was, something clasped in his paws.

"What you got there Pounce?" Jemima feigned interest. All the same, she prayed it wasnt another bunch of poppies...

"Something for you!" Pouncival giggled.

He held out a flower to Jemima, who took it, surprised at his thoughtfulness. But it was still a flower...

"Smell it!" Pounce urged. "Its a daisy, especially for you. It'll look wonderful with your colouring."

Jemima brought the flower close to her nose and sniffed twice. Then suddenly she was soaking wet and shrieking!

"What happened?" Now it was Pouncivals turn to feign interest!

"Nothing." Jemima wiped her face. Then she turned on Pouncival, her senses returning.

"THAT WAS YOU!" she hollered, pointing at him. "That was SO not funny!"

"You wanna see it from here!" Pouncival lost it and rolled about laughing.

"Oh...get stuffed!" Jemima, unknown to many, had a very short fuse. She threw the flower at him and stalked off.

* * *

Etcetera giggled to herself. She hoped Tumble would be boisterous. Pounce hadnt seemed too interested in her ever since their water incident. In fact she was sure he was in hiding!

She got bored waiting. She'd been far too punctual. She did a headstand against a nearby convinient wall.

At that moment Tumble arrived . Etcetera saw him peeking at her through her upstretched legs.

"Hah!" He pointed at her. "That's no acrobatic feat! This is!"

He did a neat back flip as Etcetera watched upside down. The blood started to go to her head, and so she came down from the handstand and watched Tumble show off.

"Try this!" Tumble showed Etcetera a clumsy manoeuvre consisting of a forward flip, a roll and then going into a handstand.

Etcetera positioned herself as Tumble sat on the floor to watch, and did the technique easier than she thought she would.

When she came down from the handstand, she ended up inches from Tumble's body and he shied back. But Etcetera's eyes were bright.

"I enjoyed that," she confessed.

She came closer to Tumble, who scrabbled back until he hit a wall...she was so forward, so dangerously endearing.

Her pretty smile invaded his soul and suddenly Tumble was falling for her slowly as she hugged him tight.

* * *

Plato looked round for Electra. Was she coming? Actually she was a bit late. She'd had to primp her fur into place to hide the small burn mark on her chest, but it didnt hurt.

When she did arrive, Plato had her flowers all ready. Rumpleteazer had stolen them from the same florists, and this time she had picked aneomies in shades of orange.

Although they were really beautiful, Electra seemed a little scared in taking them. She had heard stories about Plato,and picking him initially when she had been with Vicki, Jemi and Etc had seemed a good idea. But now as she looked at him, she had a sense of something she didn't like.

She was right to be scared. The minute she did Plato's arm was over her shoulder and he was moving in for the kill...sorry the kiss...

She squealed as loud as she could, jumped up, and hit him with the flowers. The orange petals of the flowers scattered on the ground, and Plato hissed at her. Now completely confused, frightened, and scared, Electra fled and hid.

* * *

Misto rubbed a little at his paw. His magic powers would soon heal the burn he'd gotten from his date with Electra. Meaning for the time being he could only use one paw for his magic. But that was fine because he didnt think Victoria was interested in magic anyway.

When she arrived, he had the perfect magic trick.

"I know what you'd love to see Vicki," he began, a mite coarsely as she sat down.

"And whats that, oh brilliant wizard?" Vicki teased him.

"Your name in lights."

"Oh that would be heavisidely!" (apologies for the pun there guys...) Victoria purred.

"Okay...here goes..." whispered Misto.

He raised his paw and in the air appeared a 'v' followed by 'i', 'c', 't', 'o', 'r', 'i', and then he tried the 'a'...but it wouldnt appear...and on top of that, the 'v' would NOT capitalise! It was most annoying.

Victoria giggled but the 'v' and the 'a' would not co-operate. "It's okay Misto. Nice try anyway," she reassured him.

"Anything for you, my dear," Misto giggled.

And that night all the Jellicles of the yard saw the word "victori" in the sky. And boy how they must have wondered what was going on as they smiled to themselves!

* * *

Victoria waited for Pounce. "Oh Heavisides, hurry up," she thought, licking her paw and grooming her head fur for the third time that hour.

Victoria wasnt normally such a little empty head, but tonight she was grooming well. She now wondered why. Boisterous Pouncival - she shuddered - would probably muss it up and get her all dirty.

Pounce arrived late. Another mark on Vicki's chart. She hated tardiness of any sort.

But he appeared to have a present. Victoria took the white paper wrapped present and looked at Pounce with a tiny smile on her face. Maybe he was turning over a new leaf.

She unwrapped it, minding her neatly done nails, and inside discovered a pretty white flower.

"Oh Pounce!" she cooed. "How sweet! How thoughtful.." She gave him a huge smile and smelled it.

"Pssssstttt!" went the water.

And Victoria couldnt be seen for dust.

* * *

Tumble's next date consisted mainly of the initial thoughts on how the heck to scare Electra off. But as it happened, he really wasted his thinking time...

As it happened, when Electra appeared, she looked like she was deep in thought.

"Hey Eleccy," Tumble greeted her.

"Hey Tumble. Hey listen," she continued, before he could speak again, "Do you think Pouncival likes me?"

This question took Tumble completely by surprise.

"I mean, I havent had my date with him yet," Electra rambled on, "But he's so cute and so kind and..."

She caught Tumble staring. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing. In fact I was kinda dreading this date..."

Electra looked immediately mortified! "Dreaded me?"

"No! I...I had a really good date with Etcetera...she grew on me..."

"Awww Tumble!" Electra gave him a quick hug. "I hope I have that good an effect on Pouncival..."

"You and Pounce?" Tumble spluttered.

"Why not?" Electra pointed at him. "You and Etcetera!" She squealed, laughing.

"Okay okay! I give!" Tumble held his paws up. "Enough!"

"This thing with us isnt really a date is it?" Electra asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Not really. Wanna go sit and talk somewhere?" Tumble asked.

"Sure..." Electra got up, and followed Tumble into the night.

* * *

Plato had a surprise for Etcetera. He knew she hadnt been keen on flowers since her episode with Pouncival.

So he had arranged for chocolates in in the shapes of flowers.

Rumpleteazer arrived back with the chocolates and handed them to Plato.

Who duly handed them to Etcetera when he arrived for their date later on.

Who didnt think too much of them after eating one.

When she got back to her nest she put them in a dark corner and left them there.

They were milk chocolates, white chocolates and dark chocolates. All filled with drambuie liqueur. b(Author: whisky liqueur. Yuk!)/b

* * *

Jemima mewed sadly. She turned her head, looking, but the moon simply wasnt there. She wanted so badly for it to appear. But the only thing to appear was Mistoffelees, slinking up through the dark towards her.

"Hi Jem. Dark tonight, isnt it?"

"Yeah," Jemima peered skywards and Misto caught her doing so.

"Looking for the moon?"

"Mmm hmm," she responded vaguely.

"Well, Jem, look."

Something glimmered in the corner of Jemimas eye and she turned to look. She gasped.

"I stole it for one night," Misto grinned.

In his paw, a small yellow-white object glowed brightly. Misto waved his other paw over it and it grew bigger until you could see every crater in detail, but so it still wasnt too big for him to hold in his paw.

"I took it down from the sky last night and saved it for you Jemima. Here, take it. Hold out your paw."

Jemima held out one shaking paw and Misto gently placed the moon in her paw. She stared at it, hardly daring to breathe. She looked up and Misto and the brightest smile spread across her face.

Later Misto sent the moon back up in the sky, and whispered to Jemima that he'd always been crazy about her.

The two cats sat looking at the moon, Misto's arm around Jem's shoulders, her head resting gently on his chest.

* * *

Electra sat in the shadows. Her last date. Pouncival.

She saw him coming, and stared with big eyes. She hoped he wouldnt be too rough or smooth. Just well, ordinary...

She steeled herself, closing her eyes slightly, praying this would be a half decent date.

"Electra?" Pouncival peered at her. He presented her with a flower.

Electra's eyes snapped open. "Oh!" Her eyes widened and she stared at the flower.

Pouncival sensed she was scared and looked at the flower. And right there, in the middle of the yellow pollen, was a enormous bee!

"Shoo!" He swatted it, and in doing so, the string for the water bulb broke away from the flower.

The bee, now shooed, disappeared, and Pounce watched as Electra raised the flower to her nose. She murmured a word of thanks, and sniffed it.

Pounce squeezed the bulb.

But nothing happened!

Electra still smelled the flower, her face bright and rosy. Pounce stared at her in half dismay, realising what happened as he saw the string hanging loose from the flower. Electra caught him looking and smiled.

"The flower doesnt smell much," She went over and flung her arms around him to hug him. "But thank you for liking me."

She pressed a half kiss softly to his cheek, and Pounce went red, falling for the gentle kitten as he returned her hug.

* * *

Tumble grinned to himself. He checked his reflection in a shard of mirror. He'd been feeling this way ever since Etcetera. He looked good. He felt good.

In many ways, he was getting like the Tugger, even though they were not really related.

He fluffed his ear fur, and sauntered off to meet Jemima.

Jemima was sitting, as arranged, in the corner of the junkyard. She was still fascinated by the moon. She stared awestruck at it, and a pretty smile came over her face as she remembered the gentle way Mistoffelees had been during their date. She wished he was here and that she didnt have to share this night with Tumble...when she'd so much rather be in Misto's arms...

Tumble came up as she sat there fantasising (Author: I wont tell you what, a girl needs her secrets!) and she glanced at him.

"Hi," and Jemima looked back at the moon.

"Hi," Tumble responded. But Jemima was back in a world of her own.

"So erm...Jemima...you wanna go do something?" Tumble rallied his spirits and tried his best Tugger voice, but Jem didnt seem interested.

"No thanks," she stared upwards.

"Erm.." Tumble got stuck. He wanted to fool around the same way he did with Etcetera...Etcetera...he fidgeted.

"I'm off."

"Okay. Bye." Jemima didnt even turn.

* * *

Vicki looked about for Plato. She curled her legs under her and waited. So much for her dates. The first had been too rough, the second a bit boring, and the third had soaked her with water. Ick. She shivered and curled up a bit tighter. The nights were colder now, and sometimes Victoria was cold inside her fur. She had been counting on Plato for a while now to show up and make her warm.(Author *wink*)

But Plato turned up late. He had a very good reason. He'd gone with Rumpleteazer (Author: I term Plato and Macavity as the same cat) downtown to the local florists. Unfortunately there was a police car there, and so they'd had to retreat and go to a florists on the other side of town.

But it had been worth it. Twenty minutes after going inside, 'Teazer emerged with a huge bouquet of orchids and roses, and swiping at the roses to cut the thorns off, Plato took the flowers, thanked Teazer, and headed to meet his date.

Vicki was by now growing increasingly frantic. Where was Plato?

She would have run to Munkustrap, and ask for help, but she didnt know where Plato was. If she ran she might fall and smudge her fur!

Then thankfully, Plato emerged from the dark, and handed her a HUGE bouquet of flowers. The most expensive, tasteful flowers. Vicki forgot about the lateness, her fur, her nails, how worried she'd been, and clutched at the flowers like a lifeline. She forgot EVERYTHING as Plato sat beside her, and took her paw in his. Her breath was taken away as he kissed her sweetly on the cheek, totally winning her over without words.

* * *

Misto's last date was with Etcetera, and after winning the love of his life over (Author: That's Jemima. All together now...awww!) he really didnt fell like splashing out on a magnificent trick.

So instead he picked to magic up a huge cake. When Etcetera arrived he sat her down and made her watch as he made a huge gooey cake with his magic.

First of all he made the doughy base, and then he layered on chocolate, followed by cream, then more chocolate, then more cream...he kept on layering. Then he electrified the cake to cook it, burning it very slightly, and then with a gasp Etcetera took the first gooey slice of cake and ate it.

It was delicious, all fluffy and gooey, chocolatey and creamy...of course Misto magicked up drinks afterwards. All in all it was a very fulfilling party!

* * *

_-Epilogue-_

Morning broke in the junkyard, after all the dates had taken place. The kittens, one by one, rose from their dens, and gathered together on the junkpiles where they met together last four weeks ago.

Jemima was the first to arrive, flushed, then Etcetera, bouncy as ever, then Electra, unnaturally rosy cheeked, and Victoria, completely smitten with something or someone. Behind her ear was tucked a pure white flower. This was the first thing that sparked the conversation up...

"Hey Victoria!" Etcetera looked at her frien's ear. "What'sat?"

"What's what?" Victoria asked, and when Etcetera pointed, she raised her hand and felt the flower.

"Oh this...Plato gave it to me."

"PLATO?" The others gasped together in surprise.

"Why not?"

"Omiheavisides!" Jemima giggled. "Dont tell me one date actually WORKED!"

"Oh yes," Victoria sighed. "He was so romantic, he brought me flowers, and that was all he needed to do..."

"What kinda flowers?" Jemima asked. She was curious since Plato brought her flowers too...

"Roses and orchids."

"WOW!" Even little Electra knew the meaning of a bunch of flowers like that. "That's so romantic!"

"Expensive too," added Etcetera.

"Yes...well..." Victoria shook herself out of her reverie. "Did anyone else have a successful date...?"

She looked at the others. "Jemima?"

Jemima glanced down. Then when she glanced back up, her face had a happy smile.

"JEMIMA!" Etcetera squealed. "WHO! WHO WHO WHO WHO! I wanna know WHO!"

"Alright, I'll tell," Jemima's face glowed, "It was Misto."

"Hey!" Electra grinned. "Nice one Jemima!"

"What did he bring you?" Victoria sniffed, remembering Misto's failed attempts at her name in the sky...

"He brought me the moon."

"Get real," Victoria scowled.

"He did. He used his magic to bring it down and I held it in my palm for a while, then he told me he was crazy about me..."

"AWWWWWW!" Etcetera bounced about. "I hear mating bells!"

"No!" Jemima giggled, "It was a lovely date..."

"Now pick one of those two to tell all..." Victoria nodded at Electra and Etcetera.

Jemima paused. "Electra, going by the alphabet..."

"Electra?" Etcetera cocked her head to look at her friend. Now it was Electra's turn to blush.

"Who was it?" Jemima prompted. "Pouncival or Tumblebrutus?"

"Remember," put in Victoria, "whatever you say is going to tell us who Etcetera probably liked most too."

Etcetera blushed as well. "Just tell them Electra, get it over with."

"Pouncival," whispered Electra, and Etcetera blushed even more as Jemima squealed, "Etcetera! You liked Tumble!"

"Yep..." Etcetera confirmed somewhat shyly.

"What happened between you two?" Jemima asked Electra.

"Well, Pouncival brought me this flower," Electra began, and Etcetera giggled. "Yeah, the squirty water flower you mean!"

"What?" Electra looked at her.

"Dont tell me you didnt know," Jemima added.

"Eugh that was disgusting. I was primping for hours," put in Victoria.

"There wasnt any water. There was a bee though, and Pouncival swatted it, and it flew off, and then I smelt the flower. It didnt smell much though."

The other kittens looked at each other. So Pouncival has brought Electra a real flower? Wow.

"So what happened?" Jemima looked at Electra.

"I thanked him, then I gave him a hug...and a little kiss."

"Sweet!" smiled Etcetera.

Victoria looked at Etcetera. "Your turn. What did Tumble do to make you go weak?"

Etcetera giggled, "He didnt. He did some tumbling about and showed off, but I showed him I could tumble better!" She can't stop giggling at the memory. "His face was a picture when I came down from the tumbling, and then because I had such a good time with him I gave him a hug and a kiss too...he was shy though I think."

"Oh he liked you Etcetera." The words are out before Electra can stop them.

"How'd you know?" Etcetera glared at her friend.

"He told me. He told me you grew on him," began Electra.

"Oh Etcetera!" Jemima hugged her friend. "I think thats a lovely thing for him to say...

"I dont know what to say myself," giggled Etcetera. "It is rather cute."

"Hmm.." Victoria checked her nails. "Well, whatever turns you on..."

"VICTORIA!" Electra's started to laugh like never before. "Language!"

Victoria looked taken aback. "I didnt mean..." Then she realised what she said and starts to laugh as well. The others looked at Victoria and Electra laughing, and realise how funny the whole thing is and they all start laughing hysterically.

When they finish laughing, they look around to see the toms staring at them from the bottom of the junkpile. "Hey," called up Tumble. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing!" Etcetera called back, and they all start laughing again as the toms come up the junkpiles.

Misto sat down next to Jemima and curled his tail round her waist, Plato took Victoria's paw, glad to see her happy, and Pouncival took a spot next to Electra.

Only Tumble stood, looking at Etcetera, who had taken up more than her fair share of the space in the circle now forming. She rolled about giggling and Tumble started to tickle her.

Before anyone can speak, Pouncival had bitten Tumble's tail and Electra's jumped on his back, followed by Jemima, who tried to pull her off, and Misto decided to add to the confusion by magicking up a big raincloud which promptly rained on all the startled kittens, who flee the area, Misto and the raincloud chasing them...

Only Victoria and Plato are left, and Victoria smiled at him. "I dont know what's got into them."

"Hmm...I wonder," Plato commented, taking the white flower from behind Vicki's ear. He handed it to her kissing her cheek. "Maybe they're in love like us, huh?" Victoria smiled again. "Maybe."


	8. Repeating History

**Eight**

From above Skimbleshanks watched Plato kiss Victoria, and smiled softly. He'd been watching Victoria from a distance for the last few days, ever since she'd told him about going to find herself a proper mate. He imagined it would be Plato – after all, he had inducted Victoria at the ball, and the older tom had noticed the ginger striped tom had his eye on Victoria ever since that evening.

It seemed like just the other day he had met his mate and his life had begun...

* * *

It had been late when the train had pulled into the South. The rain was driving hard against the windows, and the conductor was doing his rounds of the carriages. Skimbleshanks was also wandering the carriage, looking to see where the food trolley had got up to. Usually the waiter who pushed it kept back the scraps people left behind, and Skimble could do with a good meal. Occasionaly, if the scraps were not up to much, the waiter would instead sneak the tabby some fresh meat from the trolley, or on very rare occasions, smoked salmon.

Skimble licked his lips, peeping into a carriage window, his paws pressed again the sill. Not that one, he mused to himself, about to walk away...when he caught sight of a beautiful angora kitten on the seat besides her owner. He stayed, put his paws back on the window, and at that exact moment, she looked up too. She caught the marmalade tom's gaze on her, and he smiled as he noticed her white fur tinge a little pink. She yawned and stretched, then pointedly looked away, only to glance back over a few seconds later to see if he was still watching.

Finding he was, she smiled. He watched, wordless, as she began to wash herself, putting on quite a show for him, Skimbleshanks completely forgot his appetite, and instead began to crave something quite different.

He eventually managed to drag himself away from the sight of the queen, who, after some time, curled up for a nap. On his way back to the front of the train, he bumped into the waiter with the trolley, accepted the gift of fresh meat bestowed on him, and ate it without really tasting it.

A few stops later Skimble was doing his rounds again when he came across the carriage where the angora queen had been. He was disappointed to see she had gone, but on the floor of the carriage he noticed a paper tag. He picked it up, turning it over in his paws, and realised the tag he was holding must have fallen off one of the human's bags.

He read it out loud – "8 Agincourt Road, Hampstead."

Hampstead...they were in approach of Highgate...he wondered if they had got off early for other business. But, he realised, as he tucked the paper into his waistcoat pocket, he knew where she was, should he ever get the urge to follow her again.

* * *

That night, when the train pulled into the siding, Skimbleshanks leapt out. The torrential London rain had slowed the progress of the train down, and now he was going to be late for the meeting. Again.

Skimbleshanks ran as fast as he could to the meeting at the junkyard, and entered in the middle of one of Munkustraps speeches. Munkustrap gave him a side glance, but disregarded him. Alonzo, who was right next to Skimble all of a sudden, whispered, "decided to show up, eh?" and Skimble threw him a look.

"Ye canna argue with the laws of a train, laddie," he said shortly, and turned his attention to Munkustrap.

"I would like to present," Munkustrap was saying, "My beloved friend from the North. Jellylorum, would you mind?"

From above a young queen began to make her way down the piles of rubbish. She was being ultra careful, Skimble noticed, as he watched her. The way she picked herself daintily over the broken glass, the way her nose screwed up as she licked her paw when she came to rest on the area next to Munkustrap. Skimble blinked.

There was no way it was possible. Could the angora from the train possibly have a younger, shorter haired sister? He blinked again and rubbed his eyes. There was no mistaking it. It had to be her.

Munkustrap had continued talking. Both him and the short haired, white furred queen were oblivious to Skimble fidgeting awkwardly in the crowd.

* * *

When the tribe disbanded, Skimbleshanks got up the courage to approach 'Jellylorum', who was still on the junkpiles, and looking unsure of her footing. She seemed to be looking for a way down that didn't involve stepping on anything mouldy or broken, and of course Skimble knew there were fews ways down compromising of that.

"M'lady?" He greeted the queen, and she looked up. He had hoped to see recognition in her eyes, but there was none, and he was crestfallen for a moment. "I believe we met earlier this day. On the train?" He added, but still nothing registered for the young queen.

"I'm sorry, we have?" She asked, and wrinkled her nose at him. An endearing trait, he thought.

"Yes...I believe...I believe this is yours?" He said, pulling from his waistcoat pocket, the tag with the address on it, and showed it to her.

The queen, intrigued at such a article, reached out for the tag. "Upon my word," she whispered, "Where did you get this?" She looked up at Skimbleshanks.

"I told you, m'lady. On the train. You were in a carriage with your owners? At least, there was a angora there. I don't know if it was your sister, perhaps you have sisters?"

The white queen laughed. "No...no, that was me."

"You left the train early? You had business in another town?"

"Yes. My owners did."

"May I ask what your owners do?"

"Stockbroking." She looked at him directly.

"In Highgate?"

"No, up North."

"Are you to return?"

"Me personally? No." She responded, with a lick of her paw.

Skimble paused and regarded her.

"Then why were they so far South?"

"Business in London."

"Stockbroking?"

"Amongst other things."

"Other things?"

She sighed. "If you must know, they were recommended to a beauty salon in Highgate."

"Oh, your mistress...?"

"No. Me."

He suddenly understood. "They had you...? And you?"

"Yes." She said bluntly."Cut off my fur." She finished. "And I freaked out and ran away."

Skimbleshanks blinked at her forwardness. "If it's not too forward to say, m'lady. It looks good on you."

She rolled her eyes. "Please, spare me."

"No." Skimbleshanks was sincere. "It really does. I imagine the grooming side of things for such a elegant cat is difficult with long fur. The short fur wont matt as much. Wont contain dirt, germs..." he trailed off as the queen looked at him.

"Such logic. I like it," she smiled. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name?"

"Skimbleshanks, m'lady. The train cat."

"Ah, I see. Jellylorum," she held out her paw, and he took it in rapture.

* * *

That had been the beginning of the unlikely friendship between the marmalade train cat and the pretty flouncy white queen. As the years wore on, and he discovered more about her, she shook off her reserve, and matured into a one year old without the airs and graces of her previous life.

He inducted her at her first Jellicle Ball, and remained lifelong mates. Through this they bore a kitten to the Junkyard some years later. Victoria.

And now, as he watched Victoria still, laughing with Plato, he felt history would repeat itself. Skimbleshanks simply smiled.


	9. Touch of Magic

**Nine**

Also watching from the junkpiles that night, was Tantomile. She had seen Mistoffelees magic up the raincloud and she couldn't hide the smile that broke over her normal serious face.

He was just as boisterous as Coricopat had been when she had first met him...

* * *

They were born to separate litters from the same queen. However, even as a kitten, Tantomile felt a strange pull to the small tom who was always up to mischief when they were let out in the garden to play.

The first time she ever really approached the little tom, he was playing with a leaf, and tossing it into the air. It wasn't until she got closer that she found he was not playing toss the leaf at all – rather he wasn't touching the leaf at all.

She sat down and watched in astonishment for a few moments. "How are you doing that?"

The little tom jumped and whipped around to face her. "Doing what?" Behind him the leaf floated gently down and smacked him on the head. He rolled over and batted at the leaf. "I'm only batting it up," he mewed, but Tantomile wasn't convinced.

"I've been sitting here watching you. You were doing something to make it float." She insisted.

The little tom, lying on his back, tipped his head back and regarded her from his upside down position. "I don't know," he said softly.

"You don't know what I'm talking about?"

"No. I don't know how I'm doing it."

"So you admit you're making it float!" Tantomile was triumphant.

"Eeee...yeah..." The kitten mewed. "I can make other things float too." He picked up a twig, and made it spin off the ground without touching it. Tantomile was impressed.

"I wish I could do that," she purred softly.

"Maybe you can." The kitten mewed again, "Or maybe you can't. I found out I could do it when I was playing in the pile of leaves the gardener had raked together." He laughed. "Just chance."

Tantomile listened in surprise. "So...I may be able to?" She queried, and the kitten tossed her a leaf.

"Here, go for it." He jumped on the spot and watched her.

Tantomile felt awkward. "Okay...erm, what do I do?"

"Just wave your paws." The kitten mewed. "Like this." He waved his paws back and forth over the leaf, which rose immediately. He dropped his paws and the leaf floated back to the ground.

"Oh! Okay." Tantomile tried the same way. The leaf shuddered on the ground but it didn't rise.

"Keep trying," the kitten urged her on. Tantomile continued to wave her paws over the leaf, but it still didn't move upwards. She dropped her paws.

"Hmm..." The other kitten purred, pacing around the leaf staring at it. "Maybe if you...do something different?"

"Like what?" Tantomile snapped. She was angry at not being able to perform something that looked so simple.

"Like willing it, rather than magicking it?" The kitten suggested.

"Well...it can't be any worse," Tantomile agreed, and stared at the leaf for a moment, trying to think about nothing other than the leaf itself rising off the ground. She concentrated fiercely, and to her complete surprise, the leaf began to rise off the ground.

"Oh Heaviside!" She gasped, and her thought process lost, the leaf dropped to the ground again. But she was ecstatic. "I did it!" She grabbed the little kitten by the paws and swung him around, "Thank you sooo much!" She meowed happily, dropping him again. He curled into a ball and mewed.

"You're...welcome?" He replied, shaking a bit.

"I'm going to have to work on this," she decided out loud with a small laugh, and went back to concentrating on the leaf, the other kitten watching her. After she had again managed to successfully raise the leaf off the ground, she felt a paw on her knee, and looked around at the tom kitten.

"I'm Coricopat," he whispered shyly, and she grinned down at her little half brother.

* * *

They had spent much of that first meeting in the garden, until dinner time, when they had raced inside to tell their mother their findings. Their mother, perturbed at such stories, shushed them and told them not to tell such wild stories.

They were intrigued by their mothers silence and lack of enthusiasm over the episode, but they were still more intrigued by the day that had been. So every day after that, they had tried to find some way to practise their 'gifts' – Tantomile's apparent positive thought, and Coricopat's ability to levitate any object.

It was through such gifts that they found themselves different from their brothers and sisters, and in doing so, they became almost twins. When they were sold on, their original owners had insisted they be sold as a pair, and to their surprise they were taken into a family soon after being put up for adoption.

They learned that the father was a doctor, specializing in alternate remedies, and the little boy of the house, taking after his father, was delighted with owning a pair of black cats. He called them Magic and Mystery, and would often don a black cape and pretend he was a famous sorcerer or magician, much to the amusement of both Tantomile and Coricopat.

And then life had taken a nasty turn – the little boy grew up, his father died, and he no longer had room or money enough for the two cats who had spent most of their life with him. They knew the day was coming when they would be taken to the cattery for adoption into another family, but there was little chance of them being kept together.

So instead, they had decided to run away, Tantomile remembered. They had come to the junkyard, and settled into the shadows, only coming out at full moons and Jellicle Balls. Otherwise they stayed hidden in each other company.

* * *

It had seemed odd at the first Jellicle Balll; Tantomile felt a chill sneak up her back. Coricopat was a new male kitten, and she a new female. Still, it hadn't stopped Coricopat asking her if she would mind him inducting her. She had been a bit hesitant, but then he reminded her they were similar in every other way. Why shouldn't they been mated as well? They knew everything about each other, were the others constant companion, and they were like a pair of gloves – one was no use without the other.

With these thoughts, she had gracefully accepted, and he had inducted her at the Jellicle Ball. He had been so gentle, she thought with a smile, that after the Ball, when they had retired, she had begged him to induct her again. He had made love to her again that night, and through one induction or the other, she had fallen pregnant with a kitten...Mistoffelees.

He had been a strange little kitten, she had thought, when nursing him, always batting at her fur in interest. Until the day in the middle of the junkyard when she found him batting at a leaf. And then she got closer, and realised he wasn't batting the leaf. She sat down, and watched him, and her kitten hood memories came floating back.

"You know your father did exactly the same thing when I first met him," she remarked, slinking down to her little son, who turned at the sound of her voice.

"He did?" Her tuxedo kitten's eyes watched her.

"Yes," she said simply. "Practise, and one day you'll be as good as him."

He smiled up at her. "Can you do it, mother," he asked, and she smiled back at him, affectionately nuzzling him.

"Not in the same way, but I have a gift too. It involves thought processes. "

"Cool!" Mistoffelees enthused, "I wanna learn that too!"

"I'll teach you one day," she had said, "But first things first. Keep up what you started out with," she indicated the leaf he had been levitating, and he mewed. "Okay," going back to his practise.

She had slunk away at that point, leaving him alone with his abilities, and Coricopat had come out of the shadowy den they shared. "How's Mistoffelees this morning," he'd enquired.

"Oh, you know..." Tantomile licked her mate's nose. "He's turning out just like his father."

* * *

Her advice had turned out to be the right sort. Mistoffelees powers had increased over time, becoming even more powerful that his father's. And now he had Jemima – she'd seen him use his magic to lure her in, the same way as Coricopat had done with her when they were kittens.

Like any mother, she was incredibly proud of her son, none moreso than when he had rescued their leader, Old Deuteronomy, at the Jellicle Ball that year previous.

Their tribe was finally complete, she contemplated, and lay down to watch the moon above, her head on her folded paws.


End file.
